OTIS Strike

I Was VB

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/staff-at-otis-lifts-begin-strike-465140.html

Industrial action by members of the TEEU is set to disrupt the servicing of lifts and escalators at major public facilities nationwide today.

The dispute is over the sacking of 17 lift engineers in June, by the company OTIS Lifts.

OTIS is the largest lift company in Ireland, and facilities affected will include major hospitals, shopping centres, apartment and office blocks,

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/staff-at-otis-lifts-begin-strike-465140.html#ixzz0tU1UvUpF

Looks like the job has more than it fair share of up and downs!!!

:pac:

Seriously the last time these striked it was ongoing for about 3 months, and with all the new appartments all over the city there is bound to be alot put out because of this, as AFAIK other rival companys cannot service or repair thier rivals lift.

Abrasax

This strike could really escalate.

Wazdakka

Schlinder's Lifts were always my favourite anyway..

Run_to_da_hills

Abrasax wrote: »

This strike could really escalate.

Not if they are told to lift the picket.

ixoy

Why can't we have an uplifting story instead of this?

pickarooney

It's always the same storey when the lifts stop working.

wyrn

We've OTIS lifts here at work and there's a notice (from work) saying that if they lift breaks down (which it does, alot. It spends more time being repaired than working) that you will be rescued but it will take longer than usual as the OTIS employees are on industrial action.

Think I might be taking the stairs!

CrazyRabbit

OTIS...SITO...ISOT...SOTI...TOSI...TISO....

Erm...sorry. I'm stuck in the lift and was getting a bit board waiting for the OTIS techs to get here.

maccydoodies

being on strike is no laughing matter, all we are trying to do is protect our jobs, please respect our right to strike. in the long term it may prevent employers from sacking people at their liesure.

Dravokivich

Raising the level of awareness?

DrumSteve

maccydoodies wrote: »

being on strike is no laughing matter, all we are trying to do is protect our jobs, please respect our right to strike. in the long term it may prevent employers from sacking people at their liesure.

what were the reasons for the original sackings?

IvySlayer

I got into a lift, which, when exiting said '12th floor son'.

I said, 'Why do you keeping calling me son?'

Then the lift said 'I brought you up, didn't I?'

plein de force

no sign of the threat lifting then?

IvySlayer

maccydoodies wrote: »

being on strike is no laughing matter, all we are trying to do is protect our jobs, please respect our right to strike. in the long term it may prevent employers from sacking people at their liesure.

Ridiculous. Companies decide who stays and who goes. If staff are not performing, the employer shouldn't wait until there is a redundancy situation to address the issue.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0712/breaking33.html

kc87

plein de force wrote: »

no sign of the threat lifting then?

the strike usually lasts at least 13 weeks so it cud be a long time yet.

pickerings are on strike since march i tink.

fitzeyboy.

Thought Pickerings went bust (In the Industry and heard it on the grapevine). BTW this is not about sackings but redundancies. Most Lift companies are shedding a lot of jobs, I just hope the rest of the Industry doesnt get dragged in like the last all out strike.

macbrada

is the world gone nuts...the lift company owners shouldn/t be told by employees who goes or stays!!! Employees want a share of the profits ......will they also take a share of the bad debts.

i know these things..i was brought up in a lift.

I Was VB

I'll support any man thats on strike.

fitzeyboy.

so will I. More than 90% of the industry is unionised and pretty militant TBH. I just hope OTIS realise this and go with LIFO like the rest of us or most of you will be taking the stairs for a while.

Xavi6

In fairness to OTIS, they've had their ups and downs.

danniemcq

It's a big step they are taking....


....


dammit

syklops

I just hope OTIS realise this and go with LIFO

The problem with LIFO is that once your in the company for a number of years, it gets nearly impossible to be sacked. You can sail along doing one hours work a day, and spend the rest of the time on extended fag and tea breaks. This, versus the 28-year old who joined the company 6 months ago has a mortgage to pay off, who really needs the job, and is willing to work hard for it.

With LIFO in place the new energetic guy who works hard and brings in the bacon gets the chop, and the guy who takes 3 hour liquid lunches stays. Its unproductive for the company, who at the end of the day want a productive work force.

Forest Master

I never understand why people strike over necessary layoffs - isn't the whole point that the company is losing money, and needs to make cutbacks for it's very survival, or there'll be no jobs for anyone?
How is a money-losing company suppossed to survive without making cutbacks?

ixoy

Forest Master wrote: »

I never understand why people strike over necessary layoffs - isn't the whole point that the company is losing money, and needs to make cutbacks for it's very survival, or there'll be no jobs for anyone?
How is a money-losing company suppossed to survive without making cutbacks?

You must be an evil company man! Evil I tell you! All companies that lay off people are raking the profit in and laughing at you. Pay rises for everyone instead!

bonerm

"Sitting on the dock of a bay, watching the tiiiidddes roll away".

(great song, tho nothing to do with lifts unfortunately)

Diffking

Ok lads, people have to get their facts right when there are talking about something as serious as this! Their are staff in OTIS willing to take redundency voluntarily, but 17 workers were blocked off a site in Dublin and were not allowed back on to get personal items.
Now for the children who say OTIS have had their ups and downs, thinking its funny, it just shows how uneducated ye are.
OTIS have brought in scab workers from England to service and repair lifts, in my opinion these people are scumbags!
Look at this video and learn what happened instead of second guessing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuNTBZKUpU8

Rented Mule

Otis ?? He LOVES us !!

Otis ....MY MAN !!

Diffking

Rented Mule wrote: »

Otis ?? He LOVES us !!

Otis ....MY MAN !!

??????

maccydoodies

macbrada wrote: »

is the world gone nuts...the lift company owners shouldn/t be told by employees who goes or stays!!! Employees want a share of the profits ......will they also take a share of the bad debts.

i know these things..i was brought up in a lift.

Otis internationally have made a profit of $11.8 BILLION the first quarter of this year. The employees don't want a share they want the 11/12 volunteers to happily move on in order to protect the jobs of those affected by LIFO. this is in line with a labour court recommendation.(lcr19812). Otis have brought in scab labour to rescue people from their broken lifts , a service that was being provided by the striking workers, money is no object. this is a dispute over selection for redundancy not money. Nobody wants to be on strike or to be forced out of work. Pay the volunteers and we'll go back to work . Simple. I doubt there is any one out there who cannot justify their own position in a job. every one has the right to protect their job. The state provides for industrial relations. We simply want this massive corporation to recognise our country's systems and laws. Please read the recommendation before making up your mind. Thank you to maccydoodies for the use of their computer.

fitzeyboy.

Met a few otis lads today while out on my rounds. Sound chaps and what OTIS are doing by bringing in scab labour is despicable. Best of luck to anyone who is on the picket lines.

macbrada

i think otis are bringing in scab workers because they believe that the country should not be held to ransom by a few workers. Btw the people they are really hurting is not otis. it is the sick people, children and ederly in hospitals. They put tourists off coming to hotels, people stop going to shopping centres. in general they send money away from the country by striking and create more job losses.

When willl the union accept that most people have had pay cuts of 20% and more.#

it's like the mafia...do what we say or we will terrorise everyone...

Otis is american company....what happens if they say to hell with ireland, it's a pain....lets just close it down!!!!

fitzeyboy.

@ macbrada
wow not sure if this is a wind up, but anyway.
Firstly my good man the striking workers were providing emergency cover for critical lifts in places such as Hospitals, Nursing homes, Schools etc. OTIS basically told them to F*** off, and decided to bully workers from a newly acquired UK company to come over and work as scabs or be fired. Hardly the practices of a reputable company.

It doesn't look like you read any of this thread my good man. This has nothing to do with pay cuts or pay rises, it is about redundancies.