Published: Thursday, 19th November, 2009 2:00pm

Athlone public services to grind to halt on 24th November

Public and council services in Athlone - including the fire brigade - will be operating on an emergency-only basis next Tuesday as workers in the town join public sector colleagues nationwide in the biggest one-day strike.

The main council-run facilities in the town like Athlone Civic Centre, Athlone Library, Ballydonagh Landfill and Moate Library will all shut their doors for the one-day stoppage as employees vent their frustration at the Government's handling of the economic crisis.

St Vincent's Hospital and HSE health centres will also be affected as union members down tools for the day. Also expected to close is the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare, the office of the Revenue Commissioners and other government agencies working in the town.

Athlone Town Clerk John Walsh told the Westmeath Independent that the full range of council emergency services would be operating next Tuesday as would be the case on a Bank Holiday or at the weekends.

People wishing to contact the council in the event of an emergency can do on the normal office number of 090 6442100 and the Fire Service is contactable on their normal number. Council staff will be made available in the event of emergency, he explained.

County Council corporate services head Roibeard Ó Ceallaigh confirmed that all council offices across county Westmeath would be shut on November 24 as the body was unable to guarantee a minimum standard of services on the day.

Schools across Athlone and Westmeath will also close as teachers take the day to express their outrage at what trade union chiefs have called the "vilification of the public sector".

Lecturing staff in Athlone IT, many of who are members of the TUI will also take to the picket lines as part of the stoppage. AIT spokesperson Brian Lynch said that TUI members have informed college authorities they will not be available for work on Tuesday, an action that they will anticipate has the "potential for distruption" to classes.

Other staff at the institute, members of a number of other unions, are expected to also strike in support of their colleagues but Mr Lynch said the institute will remain open on the day.

It's unclear of the exact numbers of teachers who will strike in Westmeath, but the INTO has 650 members in Midlands alone, all of whom will be absent from classes on Tuesday next.

A joint statement released from the general secretaries of all three unions said that primary, secondary and further education teachers had never before faced such a threat to their pay and pensions.

INTO Executive member for Westmeath, Helen O'Gorman said primary school teachers had not taken the step lightly but were no longer prepared to sit by and watch as they were "scapegoated".

"This sends a very clear message to government that primary teachers reject their economic recovery plan," said Helen. "Teachers are not prepared to be scapegoated and forced to make an unfair and disproportionate contribution to national recovery."

"Teachers, like other public servants are willing to play their part in a programme for economic recovery," said Helen. "They are not prepared to be targeted while those with wealth escape."

Meanwhile, IMPACT representative in the Midlands Denis Rohan said the union had made contact with the HSE in relation to the day of action to see if they need exemptions, that is services of critical need that need to be maintained but to date, he said they have had no response.

This means facilities like the swine flu clinic and other health services will be closed for the day. At present, he added it's an all-out strike and their members in hospitals will only operate at 'Christmas day staffing levels'.

Pat O'Connor from the Defence Forces Press Office said the army have had no requests for assistance for civil or public authorities in light of the strike however, he stressed the nature of army training means they would be planning on a continuous basis for contingencies, should a need arise.

Thousands of workers all over the country will participate in the one-day strike on November 24 called by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the first of several days of industrial unrest expected over the next few weeks.

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