THE TRADE union Siptu is expected to lodge a pay claim for a 3.5 per cent increase on behalf of more than 20,000 members in local authorities around the country.
The move follows the controversial decision by the union to seek a pay rise for more than 34,000 staff in the health sector under the terms of the national agreement reached last year.
The first phase of 3.5 per cent under this deal was due to be paid to staff in the public sector from September. But the Government has effectively frozen the increase.
Sources said that it was now likely that Siptu would adopt a similar strategy in relation to the pay claim for its 20,000-plus members in local authorities as it has in the health sector.
Siptu is currently balloting members in the health sector for industrial action in pursuit of its pay claim.
The union has signalled that it wants to secure mandates across the public and private sectors, where the pay deal has not been paid or an alternative put in place, for industrial action by the first week in November.
The union yesterday said that it was seeking an urgent meeting with senior management in the Health Service Executive (HSE) over whether it was going to pay the increase sought.
Siptu’s health services sector organiser, Paul Bell, said the HSE had seemed surprised at the union’s pay claim.
“However, they have continually pursued implementation of the modernisation and flexibility clauses of the agreement with us over the past year. They do not seem to realise that they cannot unilaterally suspend one element of the agreement while securing our co-operation on non-pay elements”.
“I think they expected us to kick for touch on this one and just refer it on to the Labour Relations Commission or Labour Court, but we need to establish if they are going to honour the agreement up front, or an acceptable alternative. If not then we will have a mandate for industrial action.’’
The HSE has said that pay in the health sector was a matter for the Department of Finance.
“The Minister for Finance has informed the Dáil that the increases provided for under the Review and Transitional Agreement with effect from September 1st, 2009, and June 1st, 2010, will not now be paid on those dates.
“The Minister has stated that discussions in relation to these increases will be held in 2011, without prior commitment. He also outlined at the last Budget that these measures will save a total of €1 billion in 2010,’’ it said in a statement earlier this month.