Pushing for big-picture partnership

DAVID BEGG has a lot on his plate. Apart from the possibility of a crippling coordinated strike involving angry CIE and Aer Rianta workers, industrial relations at An Post look about to spill over and the prison officers’ dispute remains tense.

As Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) chief, there are also time-consuming obligations under Ireland's EU presidency involving the European social partners and the next phase of social partnership pay talks which begin in March.

Top that off with internal ICTU restructuring and you begin to understand why this man is already at his desk before 8.30am every morning.