Unions warn Government they will strike if pay cuts are imposed

After the divisions which emerged between them during the debate on Croke Park II, pro and anti-deal unions have united to warn the Government they will strike if pay cuts are unilaterally imposed.

Public service trade union leaders affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) met in Dublin yesterday to formally ratify the majority decision by their members to reject Croke Park II and to consider their response if pay cuts are imposed.

The meeting lasted little more than 20 minutes after which the secretary of the Ictu public services committee told reporters: “I don’t think there is any doubt that if the Government moves to unilaterally cut the pay of public servants that there will be a campaign of industrial action. I don’t think there is any dispute about that.”

Earlier the full executive of Ictu warned changes to the public service pay bill could only be brought about “by way of consultation and negotiation”.

As far as unions are concerned, the ball is now firmly in the court of the Government in spite of the Taoiseach’s insistence that “the Government’s door is always open to the unions to make their views known”.

Informed sources on the worker side believe that, after leaving unions to consider the implications of the vote for a few days, the Government will produce an initial hardline position before looking to see what can be achieved through the agreement.

The problem, however, is finding common savings when, as was proved by the debate on Croke Park II, there are such a diverse range of interests within the trade union movement. Cuts to premium payments will be off the table as far as frontline staff are concerned. Pay cuts for the higher paid while those on lower incomes are untouched will spark the anger of some trade union memberships.

If the Government decides not to impose direct 7% pay cuts across the board, it must initiate an alternate plan as it has just two and half months to reach agreement before it starts making the required savings for 2013 on Jul 1.