SIPTU denies threat of industrial action in public sector talks is bluffing

Deputy general secretary of SIPTU, Adrian Kane said the decision to ballot members across the public sector was due to “the failure of the government to put an offer in relation to pay on the table”. File photo. Photograph: Sam Boal / Photocall Ireland

Deputy general secretary of SIPTU, Adrian Kane has denied that threats of industrial action in advance of public sector pay talks was posturing or bluffing.

Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Mr Kane said the current situation is “a mess of the government's own making.” 

Mr Kane’s comments come following an announcement from the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) on Monday that it will be balloting its members on strike action following the expiry of the public service pay agreement and a breakdown in exploratory talks between unions and the Government.

The move is part of a co-ordinated campaign by public sector unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and comes following a separate announcement from the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) last week.

Last Wednesday, TUI said it would begin balloting its members for potential industrial action that could see teachers suspend their involvement in and co-operation with new Leaving Cert assessments.

Mr Kane said the decision of SIPTU and its sister unions to ballot members across the public sector was due to “the failure of the government to put an offer in relation to pay on the table”.

“I don't believe it's a bluff on our behalf,” said Mr Kane.

He said the vote of 97% in favour of strike action was an indicator of the “level of anger out there”.

“That's quite unprecedented,” said Mr Kane.

“So what we will be doing over the next two weeks, we will be meeting with our representative committees throughout the union and SIPTU will then decide what action we take.

“We will also then confer with our sister unions in the public service as to what coordinated action takes, but we will, in the first place, be discussing with our representative committees over the next two weeks what industrial action, up to and including strike action, that we take.” 

Mr Kane said this decision was not being taken lightly, as people are serious about trying to alleviate the cost of living crisis.

“There had not been any adjustment in tax bands in the budget to take into account inflation,” said Mr Kane.

“We are now probably around 5% behind as a result of inflation and as a result of that decision.

“Those issues have to be addressed in terms of a pay offer.

“The point I would make is you're playing catch up because of the failure to do that the last time around, so that has to be addressed as also index linking tax bands on this occasion.” 

Mr Kane denied that SIPTU was introducing preconditions, and highlighted that he had previously conducted many negotiations in the public sector where, typically, negotiations would unfold with the company and management outlining what they were prepared to put on the table.

“They don't leave it to the last minute and start trying to negotiate every other thing,” said Mr Kane.

“That's usually what happens, so, because of the government's position and the way that they have conducted preliminary negotiations to date, we have taken this decision.”

“This was not a precondition,” he added. “People were angry”.

“We're a representative and a democratic organisation and when we get a mandate by our members for strike action of 97%, we have to keep faith with them.

“If the government wants to engage with us, the door is open and we'll do that, but we will also keep faith with our own members.

“They've said their door is open as well.”