Public sector pay claims: Deal with other priorities first

THE Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (ASGI) have set the pace but, as the unions’ conference season gets into full swing over Easter, union after union will argue for pay rises. 

The teacher unions will echo the ASGI assertion that “the time is right for the Garda Síochána to get a pay rise” and argue that that principle applies to teachers too.

There is a certain justice to that claim but it seems premature and other priorities have to be dealt with first and, most importantly, the economy hardly seems robust enough to support those claims just yet.

If funds are available, they should be used to help the low-paid first. Then younger public servants employed on new, lower rates than entrenched senior colleagues should benefit.

After all this generation of workers, as often as not on a rolling contract, bear a disproportionate burden of the consequences of the collapse.

Then it may be time to consider the public service pension levy. There is a very strong argument to make this permanent, as public sector pensions represent a deep, if unintentional, inequity in this society.

There is the reality that the levy does not come close to supporting the level of pensions offered. These pensions are guaranteed and, in a society where one private scheme after another has folded, this is a considerable benefit.

These will be the last Easter conferences before the election and how the Government responds will show if we have learnt the recession’s hard lessons.

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