CPSU could become first union to strike

LOW-PAID civil servants have become the first to propose strike action over the Government’s decision to introduce a pensions levy across the public service.

The Civil and Public Services Union will ballot its 13,000 members for action in the coming days with the result due on February 19.

If the members back the strike a one-day stoppage will take place on February 26 and will be followed by ‘guerilla-type’ industrial action in the following days and weeks.

The one-day strike will cause chaos because the union has members in almost every public service department. In particular the rising number of social welfare claimants will suffer because dole offices will have to close on the day. Even embassies outside the country could be affected.

The union will also demonstrate outside the Dáil on February 18.

The levy, which emerged after talks between Government and the social partners collapsed last week, will see public servants earning €15,000 paying an additional €450 a year towards their pension. Those on 45,000 would pay €3,250 and those on €80,000 would pay €6,750.

While the move was panned by all public service unions immediately after it was announced most unions held back from a formal response until their executives had a chance to meet.

It was from the CPSU’s executive meeting that yesterday’s announcement emerged.

A number of other unions will meet over the next 24 hours to decide how they will respond to the levy.

However, it is expected that few, if any, will follow the lead of the CPSU.

This afternoon the public service committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions meets in Dublin to discuss an official response to the levy. The committee is made up of leaders of the main public sector unions.

They are expected to advocate a united approach by all the public service unions through a national protest. Whatever they decide will be put to the executive of the ICTU tomorrow for approval.

Legislation rubber-stamping the pension levy is due to be in place before March 1. Therefore unions are keen to begin their campaign of dissent as soon as possible.

One of the country’s largest public sector unions IMPACT has already begun lobbying politicians. Yesterday members met with a number of politicians in Castlebar and outlined to them the financial hardship the levy will cause to them and their families.

The Irish Nurses Organisation met to discuss the levy yesterday and afterwards confirmed it would support the pan-union approach and would also follow the example of IMPACT by lobbying TDs.

Public service unions are deeply concerned that the level of job losses being seen in the private sector could seep into the public service. Unions are predicting up to 1,000 local authority jobs could be lost.