Trade unions: Think-tank a ‘cheerleader’ for Government

TRADE unions have accused the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) of being the “cheerleader for the Government policy” fixated with cutting public service pay.

With a Government invite to talks on a new recovery plan imminent, SIPTU, IMPACT and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions all issued statements dismissing the ESRI’s calls for a cut in public sector pay.

“The rhetorical calls for further cuts in the pay of people who work in the public service flies in the face of the latest figures emerging from the Central Statistics Office, which provoked even (the ESRI’s) own John Fitzgerald to declare that he would not call for any further pay cuts on these workers.”