Public servants’ strike - Floods wash away public sympathy

INDICATIONS over the weekend that tomorrow’s 24-hour strike by public servants would go ahead regardless of rain or floods were a classic no-brainer. Up to 250,000 public servants were going to refuse to turn up for work as a warning to the Government in relation to the coming budget.

Public service unions have been insisting on the strike as a warning that they will not even countenance discussions on the Government’s demand for €1.3 billion cut in the public service pay bill, unless they get reassurances about services in the coming years.

In effect, they are demanding that they should be consulted about the budget provisions in advance.