Unions representing Irish Coast Guard search and rescue (SAR) air crew and engineers are due to meet Bristow Ireland later this month in relation to employment under the new SAR contract.
Trade union Fórsa, representing air crew, and Unite, representing engineers, expect to meet with Bristow representatives in late September in relation to job guarantees.
This follows a statement by Bristow Ireland earlier this week that it has given a commitment to the Department of Transport that “the company supports the principles of TUPE and that we would fully engage with Fórsa and UNITE [unions] as part of the mobilisation phase of the contract”.
“We are fully committed to establishing pathways for personnel currently servicing the existing SAR contract to join Bristow. We look forward to early engagement with both Fórsa and UNITE,” it said.
Under Transfer of Business (TUPE) regulations applying to Ireland, a new employer is legally obliged to take on the existing employees of the business.
The new employer must take on the employees on the same terms and conditions, except for pensions.
CHC Ireland air crew were so concerned about this that they participated in a safety stand-down on September 8th, where each of four SAR bases went “off-line” for an hour at lunchtime.
“Lack of confirmation re continuity of employment, under TUPE Regulations, for CHC staff has led to elevated levels of stress amongst staff and therefore the safety stand down is necessary at this time,” CHC Ireland said.
Over 140 people have been employed by CHC Ireland at four SAR bases over the past 20 years of the current contract.
Separately, CHC Ireland has confirmed that it is continuing its legal challenge over the awarding of the contract by the Department of Transpo