By Anne Marie Walsh Industry Correspondent – Irish Times

THE country’s biggest trade union plans to spend €60m building a skyscraper in the heart of Dublin city as thousands of its members lose their jobs.

SIPTU’s plan to demolish and rebuild Liberty Hall, Ireland’s first skyscraper, was revealed at the union’s annual conference in Tralee, Co Kerry, yesterday.

SIPTU said the project would be financed from savings, rental income and by selling properties it owns in the capital.

It hopes to build a 20-storey skyscraper, with a glass lift at the side and a panoramic ‘sky deck’ viewing platform. Site offices will be located in Dublin.

It would stand 84 metres tall — 25 metres taller than the existing building — and offer unparalleled views across the city.

SIPTU has 200,000 members and is positioning itself to be a much greater force in the workplace over the coming months.

It expects to see a major drop in its membership, by as much as 3pc before the end of the year, but is working to attract members from non-union firms.

But its ambitious proposal for new temporary office space could fall foul of the planners.

Read More . . .