Workers at Meta contractor Covalen to strike over union recognition
Workers at Covalen, a contractor providing services to Meta, are to hold two days of strike action with full with pickets at the Nova Atria complex in Sandyford Business Park, Dublin. The action on Thursday and Friday forms part of a series of industrial actions announced for January targeted at drawing attention to demands relating to union recognition, working conditions and collective bargaining.
The strikes follow a ballot of members of the Digital and Techworker Alliance (DATA) section of the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), after what the union has described as a lack of meaningful engagement by Covalen management on issues considered fair and reasonable by workers.
The industrial action was triggered after workers reported successive cuts to benefits while productivity demands have intensified. In November 2025, Covalen informed staff that it was proposing approximately 300 redundancies in its Dublin operations. During the consultation process, this figure was subsequently revised, with some workers redeployed or offered alternative roles.
The strike has been described by the CWU as a significant moment for Covalen workers, marking one of the first industrial actions of its kind at the company, and reflecting a collective effort to assert the importance of social dialogue, dignity at work and respect for labour rights in Ireland’s technology sector.
Worker demands also include improved redundancy packages; review of pay and pay structures; formal recognition of roles, including legal operations and specialist quality review; Fairer annual leave and sick leave policies; and remote working options.
“We are fighting for union recognition and collective bargaining – so that Covalen recognises its workers’ union and negotiates with organised staff,” said John Bohan, DATA-CWU Organiser. “Through collective bargaining, we can secure job protection, pay increases, improved redundancy terms, recognition of service, paid sick leave and real hybrid and remote working policies.”
Ian McArdle, Deputy General Secretary of the CWU, said: “Workers at Covalen are deeply heartened at the incredible support they received last Tuesday for their picket at the Covalen headquarters in Sandyford from their fellow workers, and right across the trade movement and wider community. They are steadfast in their resolve to continuing this industrial action to protect the rights of those Covalen workers whose jobs are under threat, and the rights to proper engagement and collective bargaining for workers that will continue to work at Covalen.
The jobs Covalen workers do within the Trust & Safety teams of online platforms are critically important. They protect the users of these platforms and often must expose themselves to illegal and damaging content in the process.”
McArdle repeated his call on Covalen to recognise the Union and engage in collective bargaining. He said: “How these workers are being treated by Covalen, with offers of redundancy terms that fall well short of industry norms and the company’s refusal to engage with their union representatives, are totally unacceptable. Recent sharp practice from the company is seeking to terminate some workers coming up on two years’ service to deny them rights to minimum levels of redundancy pay are equally reprehensible.”
“The resolution of this dispute will be immediate engagement with workers, and an offer of redundancy pay well above statutory minimum and in line with industry norms,” he added.
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