Workers wages ‘under attack’

SIPTU, which represents 67,000 public sector workers, claimed the benchmarking report confirmed “a trend in the Irish economy where a relentless war has been waged on workers’ wages and conditions”.

“The real significance of the benchmarking body report is not that the great majority of ordinary public service workers will receive no increase, but that this trend will continue into the future,” SIPTU vice-president Brendan Hayes said.

“Attacks on pay and conditions will continue in the private sector and ultimately apply to public service pensions and other conditions of employment.”

He said the issue now required a considered Government response.

“If something is not done to stop this race to the bottom, the fallout from the benchmarking report will become part of the process that is already having a very profound effect on the cohesion of our society,” he said.

“Individual groups within SIPTU will examine the report over the coming weeks and develop responses in the context of their specific circumstances. However increasing disparities in pay between middle and junior public servants and higher and top-level public servants are not sustainable in the medium term.

“The benchmarking body decided to depart from the system of salary comparison used in the first report without giving any compelling reason. Had the original system of comparison been used the level of awards would have been somewhat higher. When viewed in the context of other decisions made by this benchmarking body it is hard to resist the feeling that it deliberately exercised its judgment against pay increases for public servants.”