Sisk to pause introduction of alcohol and drug testing for union staff

Union accused construction firm of skirting industry-wide talks over the implementation of a policy for intoxicant testing

Sisk will tomorrow implement randomised and ‘with-cause’ testing for intoxicants on all its sites in order to improve the ‘safety, health and well-being’ of its staff. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

A leading Irish building company has agreed to pause the introduction of drug and alcohol testing for some staff after it was accused of bypassing industry-wide talks on the development of a new policy around intoxicants in the construction sector.

John Sisk & Son, which recorded turnover of more than €1 billion in 2019, will tomorrow implement mandatory testing for intoxicants for all staff except those registered with Unite, the Union.

The partial climbdown came ...