Public-sector action to be escalated if talks break down: CPSU

The campaign of industrial action by public sector workers will be escalated if the current talks between the Government and unions fail to reach a resolution.

Delegates at the Civil, Public and Services Union (CPSU) annual conference in Galway voted unanimously in favour of the emergency motion today.

The CPSU is also defending the action of workers it represents at the Passport Office in Dublin.

The anger among civil and public servants at the Budget pay cuts dominated day two of the CPSU's annual conference with both the Government and the media coming under fire.

Delegates have voted to escalate their industrial action if the ongoing pay talks at the LRC fail to broker a deal based on a reversal of the wage reductions.

CPSU delegates who work at the Passport Office received a standing ovation earlier in support of their campaign.

The union is blaming the Department of Foreign Affairs and Passport Office management for the chaos caused this week.

A motion to ballot members on withdrawing from ICTU was rejected. However, delegates backed a motion urging ITCU to instruct its members to boycott media organisations which are descrbed as "engaging in an onslaught" against public sector workers.