Builders on strike at a school near Lucan in Dublin have gone to drastic new lengths in a row over pay.

The two striking workers continue a sit-in on top of a crane at Kishoge Community School this afternoon.

The union representing the workers, Unite, maintains, as it has done for some time, that its workers are working under a system of sub-contracting that has forced them “into bogus self-employment, with some earning less than €5 per hour – below the statutory minimum wage.”

Fitzgerald said the decision to stage the sit-in on the crane was “a by-product” of the men working “on a government funded project getting paid less than 5 euros an hour. It’s an extraordinary development,” Fitzgerald said.

Industrial action at the site has been underway since September 19, following a ballot of workers at the site on September 11.

In a statement released last night Unite said: “The action this evening by striking workers, who have been locked out of their workplace for seven weeks, to occupy a tower crane on the JJ Rhatigan company’s Kishoge site in Lucan reflects the growing anger and frustration at the company’s refusal to engage, and their ongoing campaign of provocation which has included criminal damage to the workers’ property.”

Bricklayers who began working at the site for a subcontractor last May have claimed they were earning €107 per week of work.
The union says it is now seven weeks since workers were paid and “they have been locked out of their jobs after asserting their rights.”

The construction company has denied the allegations.

Unite Regional Officer Tom Fitzgerald was keen to stress the union’s first concern was safety of its members. Fitzgerald also admitted the union understood the workers’ actions.

“While Unite did not sanction this move we fully understand the anger that lead to it,” Fitzgerald said.

“Events this evening reflect growing anger and frustration at the company’s ongoing campaign of provocation, which has included criminal damage to the workers’ property, as well as their refusal to engage.

“This whole episode has its roots in the company allowing workers on a Government-funded project to be paid less than €5 per hour.

“The most important thing this evening is to ensure the safety of our members, and I would ask local JJ Rhatigan management to refrain from any further provocation,” Fitzgerald added.

Kishoge Community School is part of a €2 billion government state investment and one of 70 schools being built this year. The programme is also intended to be a stimulus for employment. 

In a statement, JJ Rhatigan called for an end to the dispute and for UNITE to "enter the normal industrial relations procedures for resolving disputes."

The statement continued: "Picketing by a small number of people since September 19 has involved persistent intimidation of 70 workers on the site, including stone throwing, slashing of lorry tyres and smashing windows of the bus bringing workers to their jobs each day.

"Last night two picketers entered a crane on the site, which has been closed today for health and safety reasons in what is described as a ‘critical incident’ by gardaí."

"The pickets were placed by UNITE trade union following termination of a contract when unacceptable levels of workmanship were rejected by the Project Manager acting on behalf of the company’s client. The inferior workmanship was carried out by a small number of the picketers." 

“70 people are being today deprived of the right to work as a result of the actions of a small number of reckless individuals who refuse to adhere to accepted industrial relations procedures. JJ Rhatigan has offered to hold discussions with UNITE, provided the intimidation and picketing ceases, but this offer was declined,” the company said.

The company also stated that claims workers are paid less than €5 an hour were "completely false."