andMr. Treacy asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that strike notice due to expire on 11th June, 1962 has been served on the South Tipperary County Manager on behalf of the engineers' clerks employed by the South Tipperary County Council; and if he will take such steps as are necessary to have implemented the findings of the Labour Court of 20th June, 1961, which provided for an increase to these clerks as from 1st April, 1961, particularly in view of the fact that the opinion was expressed by the County Council at their meeting of 4th June, 1962 that the award should be implemented forthwith.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - South Tipperary Engineers' Clerks.
47.
I understand that strike notice has been served on the Tipperary (S.R.) County Council on behalf of the engineers' office assistants employed by the local authority. I have no power to act in the manner suggested by the Deputies but I would point out that there is adequate machinery available to both parties to secure independent consideration of the matters in dispute.
Would the Minister indicate what the machinery is? We have used the only machinery available and secured a verdict. It is a question of implementation.
The Deputy may not agree with me but my understanding is that the matter was determined by the Labour Court, which I presume is the body to which the Deputy is referring.
Yes.
That was a matter of a wage claim, whereas I understand the present issue is a matter of the hours of work.
The Minister may not be aware that this is a face-saver for the county manager. He indicates he is prepared to give the wage increase, provided they agree to work extra hours, which he will not ask them to do. Is it not stupid that 40 or 50 men have to lose all these working hours to provide a face-saver for the county manager, who refuses even to take the advice of his local authority who put up the money to pay them?
Surely the Deputy will appreciate that what I have said still stands, regardless of what is now in dispute. I have no powers to comment.
I accept that.
However, although I cannot comment on the merits or demerits of the case, I hope what I have said may be of some value. Undoubtedly, while there may have been a decision by the Labour Court on the question of wages, the situation which apparently has given rise to a strike does not seem to concern the issue of wages. The new issue is one of hours rather than wages. I am merely making my suggestion in the hope of clarifying the matter with a view to getting an acceptable decision.
Would the Minister suggest to the county manager that he should refer the question of the hours to the Labour Court?
I have no powers to do that, but I want to say that either of the parties in the dispute is at liberty to have recourse to the Labour Court and may individually submit their cases to the Court.
I am sure the Minister is aware that the question of the hours worked by these people was part of the submission made by the manager to the Labour Court at that time. The Labour Court made its award in the knowledge of the hours worked. Is the Minister satisfied that the manager should now want to make a stipulation that these men should work ten hours extra for this increase? Is the Minister aware that this strike has taken on a serious aspect and that virtually the whole of the engineering section of South Tipperary County Council are now completely out of work as a result of the strike?
What the Deputy says may be true.
It is true.
Whether it is true or not and whether I agree with it or not, what I have already said in regard to the manner whereby the dispute might be ended still holds good. I have no powers to dictate to one side or another.
If it were the labourers' dispute, they would refer it to the Labour Court. Now it is the manager's dispute and let him refer it.