Childminding dispute discussions ongoing

THE CHILDMINDING IRELAND dispute has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission with talks proceeding between the parties.

The Impact union said that management at the Kilcoole-based agency sought a meeting through the WRC following a recent demonstration by the workers at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Impact members protested outside the Department of Children and Youth Affairs last week in support of staff of Kilcoole-based Childminding Ireland. Members of staff have been on strike since June 7 in a dispute over compulsory redundancies at the State-funded body.

Workers handed in a letter to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone, asking her to use her influence to require management to engage in talks to resolve the row.

In the letter to Minister Zappone, Impact deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan wrote: ‘Management at Childminding Ireland have shown a total disregard for the Workplace Relations Commission. Rather than engage in constructive negotiations, they have issued loyal staff with redundancy notices and told them they may be able to re-apply for their jobs at some unspecified time in the future.

‘I hope that you will agree that such disregard for the State’s industrial relations machinery – and, indeed, for basic decency and respect in the workplace – is unacceptable in an organisation that is primarily funded by the public purse. I am requesting that, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, you use your influence, and that of your Department, to require Childminding Ireland to engage in normal negotiations through the State’s industrial relations bodies.’

Impact says the strike at the office in the Bullford business campus in Kilcoole is set to continue until management withdraws redundancy notices and enters talks over proposed restructuring plans.

The union says it remains available to discuss restructuring, but says redundancies are unnecessary as Childminding Ireland is not experiencing financial difficulties and has produced no business case to justify job losses.

In a letter to this newspaper, Childminding Ireland said that they are going through a period of change in order to meet the needs of its members and to address sustainability issues.

They said that staff members were given written details of pressures leading to changes in the organisation, and a fourmonth consultation process.

They said that meetings were arranged to discuss the proposed structure and draft role profiles and that staff were urged to submit comments. Some staff declined to engage in the process, including an internal recruitment process, said the organisation.

‘Childminding Ireland has at all times been open to talks and remains so,’ they said.