Outsourcing could become a stumbling block in public sector pay talks

The union representing low-paid civil servants has rejected the Government’s efficiencies “wishlist” outlined in the ongoing pay talks and warns there can be no further productivity deals.

And one of the items on that wish list — outsourcing — could become a significant bone of contention as the Government seeks to potentially weaken the safeguards around how outsourcing can happen.

The sides held detailed negotiations on outsourcing, apprenticeships, and various other non-pay issues yesterday. As those talks were due to begin, Civil Public and Services Union general secretary Eoin Ronayne told his members in a posting on its website that the wish list tabled by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform contains items rejected by the unions during the Haddington Road and Lansdowne Road Agreement talks.