DLR councillors walk out in meeting in in solidarity with striking council staff

Councillors from across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council walked out of Monday’s November monthly meeting at 5:55pm in solidarity with council staff taking part in ongoing industrial action.

Councillors from the Green Party, Labour, People Before Profit and Social Democrats left the chamber, along with one Fianna Fáil councillor.

Under the current work-to-rule, union members’ work at the council stops at 6pm. Trade unions had given a derogation so that the October meeting could go ahead as normal. No derogation was in place for November.

The meeting went ahead with the remaining members. Stillorgan Green Party Councillor Eva Dowling was among the councillors who walked out of the chamber. Cllr Dowling said:

“Our council staff work incredibly hard to keep our communities running and I stand with them. I couldn’t cross a picket line. Without a derogation, this meeting should never have gone ahead after 6pm. That decision was down to the ruling group of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents.

“I welcome that there has been progress in public sector pay talks, but that’s only happened because workers were willing to stand together and demand a fairer deal. We all hope that a fair deal can be finalised quickly, one that properly recognises their work and the rising cost of living. Taking industrial action is never an easy decision for workers,” she said.