The Unite trade union will ballot crane operators over the coming days to extend industrial action, which started yesterday, to additional sites.

The union, which claims to represent 90% of crane operators in Ireland, announced that the ballot will close on Wednesday at 5pm.

Speaking after a general meeting of Unite crane operators this afternoon Unite regional officer for construction Tom Fitzgerald said: “Since the recovery started in 2012, profits per employee in the construction have more than doubled. In contrast, construction wages are still below 2004 levels in real terms.

“The CIF should remember that workers are also consumers, and low-paid workers cannot afford the homes built by CIF members – nor can they spend in other sectors of the economy.

“Unite is determined to ensure that construction jobs are decent jobs paying decent wages.

“It is unfortunate that the CIF has declined to engage meaningfully with us in respect of crane operators’ legitimate demands. Our members have been left with no option but to take industrial action in pursuit of pay rises which reflect their level of skill and responsibility.”

He added: “The likely disruption to construction activity is down to the CIF’s refusal to engage, and their low pay strategy which is bad for workers, bad for the economy, and bad for CIF members.”.