Council staff to protest over pension levy

Staff in local authorities will begin staging a series of protests today against the controversial public service pension levy.

SIPTU members in Leitrim County Council plan to march to its headquarters in Carrick on Shannon to vent their anger over the stoppage from their pay that will boost Exchequer pension funds.

A second protest will be held in Swords, Co Dublin, next Monday.

SIPTU’s Ramon O’Reilly said the campaign was not just aimed at the Government but to inform the public about the serious anomalies in the levy, particularly as it affected lower income workers in the local authorities.

“We all accept the seriousness of the country’s finances but serious anomalies in the system must be addressed,” said Mr O’Reilly.

“For instance, someone earning €510 a week pays 4% of the gross salary while some earning €800 only pays 3.7% because of higher tax relief.

“A temporary worker pays the levy even though they will never receive a public service pension. Other workers are contributing more in the levy than they can ever hope to receive.”

Last Thursday 13,000 civil servants staged a one-day strike in protest over the pension levy.

Meanwhile, the Unite trade union has revealed it will ballot its 4,000 skilled council and hospital workers on industrial action over the scheme.

Results are expected on Friday March 20.