Workers from National Advocacy Service offices across the Northern Sound / Shannonside offices staged a protest outside the Monaghan Town constituency offices of Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys. The staff, are on day eight of a protest to highlight their demand that a Labour Court recommendation on their pay and conditions is respected.
It is the first time in the service's 14-year history that NAS workers have taken such action. Staff have also not had a pay increase in those 14 years. The workers brought a case to the Labour Court in January and were given a favourable recommendation but, their employer, the Citizen's Information Board, has not implemented it.
The CIB falls under the remit of Cavan-Monaghan TD Heather Humphreys, the Minister for Social Protection. NAS staff brought their protest to her constituency offices while a similar protest is taking place outside the Taoiseach's Wicklow constituency office also today. Mark O'Connor from Monaghan NAS appealed to Heather Humphreys to engage with them: "She's not there today. We were down here last Wednesday and she wasn't here then either," Mark told Northern Sound, "I know the oireachtas has just finished up last week but, we'd call pon the Minister to instruct the CIB to really get engaged with us."
