We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
STAFF MEMBERS AT a Donkey Sanctuary in Cork have balloted for industrial action.
The SIPTU members at the sanctuary in Liscarroll, Mallow, have been told they will be made redundant on 31 May, the union said.
SIPTU said the decision to ballot follows the “refusal of management to engage with their union or to attend a conciliation conference, under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), to discuss the reasons for the redundancies, how the Sanctuary can operate with twelve less staff and the terms of the redundancy package”.
SIPTU Community Sector Organiser, Eddie Mullins, said that the union has tried unsuccessfully to engage the company in discussions as to the reasoning behind the decision to make the welfare staff redundant.
The company has refused a request from the LRC to intervene in this dispute, said Mullins.
He said that the staff that face losing their jobs are responsible for rescuing and caring for donkeys across the country.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I hope the donkeys will be ok. Lots of lay offs everywhere now. Poor people trying to save their (probably) low paid jobs.
There is neigh way this will work. Union making an ass of themselves!
Too soon John, too soon!!
Hi John S. Actually only for the union no one know what is happening. Over 70 years of experience is being lost here. The sanctuary say they are providing four new positions. When the existing welfare members applied for these new positions we were told we didn’t have enough experience. We were on call 24/7 365 days of the year. over 420 complaint done in 2013. We are worried that the donkeys wont get the attention that’s needed any more. Of course the donkeys in Ireland will suffer and that is why we are disputing this.
Thanks Sharon. We also were on call 24/7. The donkeys with in the sanctuary will be fine. Its the ones that need our help that wont get it now. How on earth can four people covering the whole of Ireland do the job of 15. In the southern part of Ireland we did over 240 complaint alone in 2013.
2 full time and 8 part time people and there’s 5 full time vacancies I heard with the new regime. Sounds like there doing away with the ones who work in other jobs and are employing a dedicated crew who can respond to calls mare than the current lot.
Have to correct you here Dean. they are replacing 16 with just 4 people. We are responding to calls within 12 hrs.. The current lot as you call them are the most dedicated people I have ever work with in my life. In all my years with the sanctuary, not one of them ever complained about having to drop everything to go on the rescue of a donk.
Great place to visit.
The poor donkeys. What a bunch of asses
Bee are going on strike looking for shorter flowers an more honey
The company has refused a request from the LRC to intervene in this dispute
….. are the donkeys managing the place too ?
I’ll be braying it works out ..
There will be no one to do the Donkey work
That is actually what is going to happen. This the reason why we are walking the road at the moment. To help save our jobs so we can save more donkeys in need.
Would ye be better off rescuing donkeys? No point on striking and upsetting the animals.. It’s not air lingus! Letting down those poor Donks. :( sad.
Hi Dean. I think you might be missing the point here. We are striking to save our jobs so we can save the donkeys that need our help. That was the reason the Sanctuary was started all those years ago. We are the ones that are working on the ground 24/7 and we can see where we are needed. Not much point in having a load of managers and just 4 people doing the job where 16 of us can only barely cope. . We were never so busy with complaints. We need to let the public know that this is not just a job to us, it was more of a vocation to us dedicated welfare officers. I am sorry you feel this way but your never told about the time when we travelled icy roads and snow up to our knee;s on Christmas day rescuing these poor donkeys. How we had to spend sleepless nights milking mothers to hand feed their little one. What makes me sad is not being able to do this work again.
Clem, I hope u get a job in caring for animals. You do sound genuine, but using a union like SIPTU to bring on negative publicity to an animal charity can only hurt the animals in the end. Not for profit, industrial action can’t hurt a profit that’s not there, so don’t see the point. Think about it!
I was talking to the siptu rep and he -aw he -aw he-always says they are gonna strike
Drove by there today, seen all the long faces, now I know why
* saw. Aaarrrrgghhhh!
What a load of mule!
There is roumer they are replacing them with jobbridge
They could try volunteering.
AFAIK it is a uk “charity” which has a large income running the place. great job done there, badly needed, they cannot rely on volunteers or jobbridge to do the job of paid workers.
Due to alot of ass ponching!
Damn autocorrect… Ass pinching!
have your say