A special meeting for Wexford County Council is being called for to discuss the ongoing stike by retained firefighters in the county. Five Councillors fear lives are at risk have made an official request for the emergency meeting to try find a resolution with the council along with the firefighters as the ongoing situation becomes what they call a crisis.
The request, was signed by Sinn Féin councillors Tom Forde, Davy Hynes and Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, Aontú councillor Jim Codd and Independent Leonard Kelly. It was sent to Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council John Fleming this (Thursday) morning.
SIPTU says “the silence from Government” has forced firefighters to escalate their strike.On-call members of the fire service first started industrial action on June 6th in a dispute over the low level of pay and restrictive conditions of the job.
In an escalation of that strike, all retained fire stations will “go dark” from 8 o’clock this Saturday morning – meaning crews will have no internal communications with local authority radio call centres. SIPTU members have also vowed to close one station in each county every week, if a resolution is not found by Saturday 19th August.
