Union threat to scupper talks

THE country’s largest public service union IMPACT has threatened to scupper any national recovery plan which does not contain protections on public service pay, employment levels and pension levels.

Speaking at the Public Service Executive Union’s (PSEU) annual conference in Killarney yesterday, IMPACT general secretary Peter McLoone said that was a “bottom line” for his union. However, Mr McLoone also warned public servants they should prepare themselves for having to work harder and more efficiently.

The IMPACT general secretary used the PSEU speech to warn the social partners his union was willing to engage in industrial action over public service cutbacks even as it participated in partnership talks on the new national recovery plan. He was referring to recently-issued Government circulars which, he said, seek to axe thousands of temporary public service jobs and impose an almost total embargo on appointments, promotions and new acting-up payments.

Mr McLoone said public services would be indispensable to Ireland’s economic recovery. “[The] challenge is to find a way of transforming public services not destroying them... We understand what is expected of us in this regard. We understand that the job of those who work to provide public services will get harder.”

On the current national negotiations he said: “Public service unions will not accept or recommend any agreement unless it includes firm undertakings that preserve public service jobs, preserve pay, and preserve the value of public service pensions including the existing taxation arrangements. This is a bottom-line agenda item for my union.

“And have no doubt, participation in negotiations will not stop unions from taking industrial action if this is necessary to protect jobs, pay, pensions and services.”