Public service Sunday pay to be targeted

The Government is seeking to significantly scale back premium payments for public service staff in a bid to save about €170 million.

As part of the proposed extension to the Croke Park agreement, it wants to cut the double-time payment for Sunday working to time and a half. It also wants to scrap top-up payments to staff for Saturday and evening working.

The cuts would particularly affect groups such as nurses and gardaí, who provide a round-the-clock service. Staff in public libraries who work on Saturdays would also be hit.

Negotiations between the Government and unions on an extension to the Croke Park deal, which covers public sector pay and work practices, began last month.

Highly placed sources say management has indicated that the €170 million target for savings on premium payments could be reduced if agreement was reached to have fewer staff working at weekends.

Rally

Organisations representing gardaí and nurses say they will strongly oppose cuts to premium rates. About 2,000 front-line staff are expected to take part in a major rally on Monday.

Government representatives yesterday began giving more details to unions on proposals for saving €1 billion on the State’s pay and pensions bill over the next three years.

Talks were held with unions in the health and education sectors. Proposals for the Civil Service/State agencies and local authorities are expected to be set out on Monday.

Sources said the €127 million paid annually to teachers in supervision and substitution payments would form “a key element” of the Government’s savings proposals in the education sector. The scaling back of such payments could be facilitated by the provision of additional working hours, they said.

The proposed introduction of a longer working week for all staff is a major item on the Government’s agenda for the talks.

It is understood the Government has indicated it may move from its opening demand for staff to work an additional five hours per week. However, health service unions said last night that talks in that sector today would be based on management’s proposal for an additional five hours.

Pay cuts

Pay cuts for higher earners are also proposed by the Government, although the rate of the proposed cut and the threshold at which it would be imposed have not yet been set out.

There has been strong speculation that staff earning more than €100,000 could face a pay cut, with those on over €65,000 being asked to take a step back on their incremental scale.

Sources said the issue of increments was at an impasse but that this issue was still being discussed at central level.

Unions are seeking changes to the operation of the pension levy. They want an increase in the amount which is exempt, currently the first €15,000. They also want the Government to deal with the emerging two-tier pay arrangements in the public service between new and longer-serving personnel.

Separately, Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday said the 2014 budget may be announced “a little earlier” than the normal date in December. He said this would depend on decisions being taken in the European Parliament and European Council.