Public unions need a convincing argument to justify strikes

THE executive of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will meet in Dublin tomorrow to agree a campaign of opposition to pay cuts and staff reductions in the public service.

However, before they even take place, the viciousness of the bark emerging from those discussions has already been muted by the actions of at least two of its largest constituents.

SIPTU represents 70,000 of the more than 300,000 people on the state’s payroll, while IMPACT trade union accounts for a further 55,000.