Pay demands - Unions must face reality

There is a distinct sense of unreality about growing union demands for pay rises for tens of thousands of civil servants.

Hot on the heels of recent claims by the 10,000 strong Public Service Executive Union, Impact warned yesterday that its 60,000 members would also submit claims if the Government achieves its target of bringing the budget deficit below 3%.

While the economy is showing welcome signs of increasing buoyancy, they will have an uphill task convincing a jaundiced public about the validity of claims from those in copper-fastened jobs while the private sector has lost hundreds of companies and shed thousands of workers.