Public sector unions threaten second 24-hour national strike on November 12th

Public service unions have confirmed they will stage on a second national stoppage next week if there is no breakthrough in pay talks but have put the planned strike back 24 hours, a move that could severely disrupt planned meetings of European leaders in Dublin.

After a meeting of the 19 unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) Public Services Committee on Monday morning, members of the negotiating team said the strike is now set to go ahead while an ongoing work-to-rule is to be ramped up to increase disruption.

The unions repeated their claim that the Government side had not produced a “credible” offer on pay over the course of 11 days of talks during the past two weeks, with Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan saying the offer put on the table had fallen short on all fronts.

The unions, he said, had come into the process emphasising the importance of addressing what they regard as the shortfall that developed between public sector pay and inflation since 2021. They also wanted to ensure inflation was covered by increases this year and that incomes were protected over the course of any deal. However, Callinan said, none of these requirements had been met by Government.

Siptu’s Adrian Kane said there had also been a failure on the Government side to specifically help lower paid members of the public and Civil Service.

The deal that expired in June provide for some minimum increases for those earning less than €50,000 annually, provisions that meant the lowest paid received increases over the terms of its 30-month duration of 17 per cent in total, rather than the 9.25 per cent set out for the majority of workers.

The unions had previously indicated outsourcing and public procurement was another stumbling block, while on Monday Callinan said local bargaining is again an issue.

“We put a lot of effort over the last two weeks into responding to their preferences in relation to the duration of an agreement and in relation to the productivity asks. We now find that they haven’t responded sufficiently in relation to cost of living. They simply haven’t stepped up to the mark on things like local bargaining and other related matters,” he said.

“We’ve briefed our members today. We will continue to be available for any meaningful interaction at the [Workplace Relations Commission] in relation to this, and we will meet with the Government-appointed [Kevin Foley-led three-person steering] group in the morning, and let’s hope that they can play a constructive role in a resolution of this dispute.”

Kane suggested the current expectation is that the campaign of industrial action will continue and escalate.

“I think it’s very important that people understand that this will be a sustained campaign of industrial action until we can bring this Government to the table that make a credible offer in relation to pay,” he said. “We’re not looking for the earth, but they’re a long way behind where I think any reasonable person would believe they would be or should be at this stage after two weeks of negotiations.”

A number of meetings of European leaders are due to take place on Thursday November 12th and Friday 13th as part of Ireland’s EU presidency.

Callinan denied that moving the strike from Wednesday to Thursday of next week was specifically intended to target these events.

However, some of those leaving the meeting appeared to believe it was a factor, suggesting it would provide a “bigger hit”.

For most people, though, the change will make little practical difference to having to cope with school closures, postponed hospital appointments and disruption to other services, factor the Government side will expect to impact on public support for the strikes if they continue.

“We’re very appreciative of the public support,” said Callinan when that prospect was put to him. “Very appreciative. It has been confirmed in a number of opinion polls. We don’t take it for granted, but I think it is there because our message is resonating with ordinary people.

“People are struggling with the cost of living. I think they feel that this Government is out of touch with their day-to-day realities, and I think the sympathy that we are enjoying at the moment is because that’s the position.

“Nobody wants to have a second strike. But the ball is very much in the Government’s court.”

Meanwhile, the Garda Representative Association is also planning a work-to-rule action which will run between Tuesday, November 10th, and Saturday, November 14th.

This period includes the European Political Community meeting on November 12th, as well as the informal meeting of the EU heads of state or government on November 13th.