Public Sector Pay Talks Fail; Unions Prepare for Industrial Action from July 1
Exploratory talks on a new public sector pay deal have failed, with unions preparing for potential industrial action from July 1st. Kevin Callinan, Ictu public services committee chair, informed 19 unions that no agreement was reached on the negotiation process, prompting the development of an industrial strategy.
Exploratory meetings on a new public sector pay deal have concluded without agreement, prompting union negotiators to advise members to prepare for potential industrial action. Kevin Callinan, chair of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) public services committee, informed the 19 affiliated unions on Thursday that the two sides failed to agree on the negotiation process, including whether to address pay first or last.
Callinan stated that preparations must be made for no agreement to be in place from July 1st, when the current deal expires, potentially for an indefinite period. The committee is developing an industrial strategy to protect living standards and pursue individual claims. Legal advice suggests some union rules may need amendment for a common approach to industrial action ballots. Callinan will provide an update next week.
The current deal provided basic pay increases of 9.25 percent to most public sector and Civil Service staff, plus an additional one percent for local bargaining. The lowest-paid staff received over 17 percent increases during the 2.5-year agreement.