Union to discuss plans for national strike

The executive of the country's largest public sector union will meet today to discuss next week's planned one-day national strike after members narrowly failed to approve it.

While Impact members voted 65% in favour of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) campaign, under union rules a two-thirds majority is required for industrial action.

Around 24,000 of Impact's 61,000 members cast their ballot, and the executive will discuss what steps to take and what attitude it will adopt to the strike.

ICTU advised the one-day action for March 30.

Jerry Shanahan, private sector committee chairperson, said that Government and employers' groups had "walked away from the agreed terms of the national agreement.

"Notwithstanding this, a substantial number of employers have agreed to pay while others are involved in the agreed disputes procedures."

Mr Shanahan said next Monday was to be a day of protest and action by workers throughout the economy - public and private - about non-compliance with the agreement.

If the campaign goes ahead, major disruption is expected at Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports after SIPTU and Mandate backed the call for industrial action, claiming they would stage an eight-hour work stoppage.

The Dublin Airport Authority said it was disappointed at the planned action and urged workers to reconsider.

The Technical Electrical and Engineering Union served strike notice yesterday on the Government and the other main employer bodies, including IBEC, the CIF and the main electrical contracting groups.

TEEU general secretary-designate Eamon Devoy warmed that if the Government failed to enter talks, there will be unprecedented disruption across the country.

The union said 90% of its 45,000 members voted in favour of the ICTU plan and 80% for industrial action.

It added that strike action on March 30 would not take place in companies which have honoured the terms of the wage agreement.

Teachers voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action last week for the day of protest, which could include strike action, while nurses have also backed the ICTU plan.