13,000 civil servants take to the picket lines

THE first strike in protest at the Government’s economic recovery strategy will today see 13,000 civil servants close dole and passport offices across the country and severely hamper most government departments.

The action by the Civil, Public and Services Union, while not sanctioned by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions executive, will give the Government a small taste of what could happen on March 30 if the rest of the public and private sector unions press ahead with a national strike.

The effects of the strike will be widespread. Even the National Museum of Ireland has been forced to close several sites tomorrow.