Rift between unions and Govt deepens

The stand-off between Government and unions over pay cuts worsened today as more than 100,000 frontline public sector workers revealed plans to vote on industrial action.

Four unions representing nurses, firefighters, ambulance drivers and prison officers will ballot on strikes to prepare for action if the Government slashes wages by €1.3bn.

The 24/7 Frontline Service Alliance warned they will be ready to disrupt vital services before the December Budget.

Liam Doran, Irish Nurses Organisation chief, insisted the thousands of workers were not determined to strike.

“We don’t want war on the streets but equally our members are telling us that we are paying our share,” he said.

Two unions, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (Agsi) and the Garda Representative Association (GRA), are legally barred from balloting for strikes but warned they will take some other action.

All six unions in the alliance have thrown their weight behind the Congress day of protest and nationwide demonstrations on November 6.

It will follow the campaign with its own march to Leinster House on November 11 and a national canvass of TDs on November 14 and 15.

Five thousand frontline workers attended the meeting in Liberty Hall.

Mr Doran added: “We don’t want confrontation, the country doesn’t need confrontation but the Government is going to have to sooner or later come to the table willing to drop the threat of pay cuts and look at alternatives.”

In a statement, the Alliance insisted its members had already paid out to support the Exchequer.

“If the Government disregards the need to maintain frontline services at present levels and acknowledge that members of the Alliance have already contributed their share to restoring the public finances – with cuts in take home pay of up to 12% – industrial action will be undertaken before the end of November,” it said.

“The nature and extent of that action will be decided as the campaign progresses over the coming weeks.”

The GRA said gardaí were already voting with their feet, claiming 190 officers left in 2008 but more than 700 could retire this year.

The INO warned 1,000 nurses are needed to support the swine flu vaccination programme and health chiefs will deploy these from other areas.

Nurses from Siptu and the Psychiatric Nurses Association and employees in the Prison Officers’ Association also attended the meeting.