Anti-Croke Park II unions to meet

The eight union executives which have urged their members reject the Croke Park II deal will meet officially for the first time next week to discuss a strategy to “protect existing pay rates and terms and conditions”.

The move by the unions, which between them represent almost 100,000 public servants, follows Public Service Reform Minister Brendan Howlin’s confirmation that State employees face pay cuts of 7% if the deal is not ratified.

The eight Ictu-affiliated unions are Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants, Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland, Civil and Public Services Union, Irish Federation of University Teachers, Irish Medical Organisation, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Teachers Union of Ireland, and Unite.

In a communication to its members yesterday, general secretary of the nurses and midwives’ organisation, Liam Doran, said that the discussions will “initially consider all of the issues arising from the current balloting process within the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

“The discussions will centre upon agreeing a strategy which protects the interests of our collective memberships and safeguards their existing pay rates and terms and conditions of employment,” he said.

One issue likely to be on the agenda is the number of unions who are determined not to be bound by the outcome of the overall Ictu ballot on the deal if it does not tally with their union vote.

That Ictu vote, at which unions’ share of votes will be determined by the size of their memberships, will take place on Apr 17.

Meanwhile, the four unions that make up a Public Sector Alliance — Inmo, CPSU, Unite and Inmo — have described Mr Howlin’s comments as “evidence” that the Government fears a “no” vote against the Croke Park II deal is on the cards.

In a joint statement, the unions said Mr Howlin’s comments were an “unprecedented interference by a Labour Party minister who should understand the integrity of trade union balloting better than most”.

The unions said the warning of an imposed 7% cut on low-to-middle-income earners was a “crude attempt to strike fear into the hearts of ordinary workers”.

A spokesperson said it was extraordinary a Labour Party member would threaten lower income workers “while consistently refusing to ensure higher earners carry their share of the economic crisis” through a third tax band for earnings over €100,000.

Meanwhile, in spite of the union’s national executive advocating a “yes” vote on Croke Park II, Impact’s Limerick health and welfare branch has advised its 1,600 members to reject the deal.