Cuts campaign to dominate SIPTU conference

A planned campaign of resistance to pay reductions and government cutbacks is expected to dominate the agenda at a SIPTU conference in Tralee this week.

Last week, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions announced plans to begin a campaign to oppose pay cuts in both the public and private sectors, as well as reductions in public services.

As Ireland's largest trade union, SIPTU will form a key part of the campaign, which begins with a national protest on November 6.

The scrapping of the last social partnership deal and the failure to agree a plan for national recovery is causing major concern for the union movement.

Last week, SIPTU lodged a claim for a 3.5% pay increase for 34,000 health workers that was due under the Towards 2016 deal.

The union says workers are entitled to pursue the terms of that agreement in the absence of any alternative deal with employers and the Government.