Unions ready to hike action over public sector cuts

PUBLIC sector union leaders last night insisted they were willing to go into negotiations on pay cuts announced in their sector, but they were prepared to keep escalating their industrial action for months to come until a solution is agreed.

Addressing a mass meeting of public sector workers in Galway, the leaders also dismissed claims that they were now only focused on preventing pay cuts in the next budget.

IMPACT general secretary designate Shay Cody said both the pension levy and the average 7% pay cuts announced in the December budget were not irreversible: “financial emergency measures” in the title of the legislation indicated that they were temporary.