SIPTU to continue campaign for action

SIPTU has no intention of scrapping the renewal of its mandate for industrial action in the face of Government-backed cutbacks, while the group representing business has said pay rises in 2010 are unrealistic.

Last night, the union’s general president Jack O’Connor condemned regulators who “looked the other way” when the economic crisis was developing and “hit and run” economics which were “driving the nation towards another crash”.

The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) has, meanwhile, repeated its call for suspension of the pay terms of last year’s national agreement. IBEC director general Danny McCoy said his organisation wanted to tackle the national jobs crisis “through a partnership approach”.