Government told to ‘lay off’ public servants

The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants also warned private sector workers that once the “slashing” of pay, terms and conditions had been completed in the public sector, it would be used as a model by private sector employers to “dumb down” their pay and conditions.

The trade union, which represents just under 3,000 senior executive officers and grades up to principal officer level, also criticised the rejected Croke Park proposals to cut family friendly policies including flexitime, describing them as "vindictive and ideologically driven".

Withdrawal
However motions that the association should withdraw from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in light of the renegotiated proposals were not put because the deal had been rejected.

Chairman of the association Tom Allen said: "I for one will not be drawn into a slagging match with our brothers and sisters in the trade union movement who happen to work in the private sector."

He reminded the Government “they have always been able to rely on the total loyalty of senior civil servants. By continually targeting our members we feel a sense of betrayal”.

Mr Allen hoped the Civil Service remained totally impartial but “it is hard to give guarantees for the future while we are being treated so unfairly”.

He told some 200 delegates the Government had decided to hit senior civil servants disproportionately and they had already taken a 30 per cent pay cut. "I want to send a clear, unambiguous message to Government: 'Lay off targeting of our members, otherwise I am afraid there will be consequences'." The fairest way of resolving the problem, he said, was through the tax system with the introduction of a higher rate for higher members.

'Dumbing down'
Association general secretary Dave Thomas said a warning "must go out to those" in the private sector.

“As soon as the slashing of pay and conditions in the public service is complete, Ibec, Isme, the Construction Industry Federation will move to use the public service model as a way of dumbing down pay and terms and conditions of employment in private sectors”.