THE IRISH Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) is to meet in emergency session early next week to consider its response to what it maintains is the failure of the Government to agree a “social solidarity pact” for economic recovery.
Informed sources said last night that the issue of unions balloting on industrial action was expected to be considered at the meeting.
Siptu president Jack O’Connor said while he hoped industrial action would not be necessary, if it went ahead it would be aimed at “maximising pain for Ministers” and minimising it for the public.
Several unions have already begun moves towards industrial action. Trade union Unite said yesterday that the 400 craft workers it represents in the local authority and health sectors had supported a motion to ballot for industrial action in protest at the Government’s new pension levy.
It said a similar motion would be brought before the national group of craft workers which represents about 4,000 staff in the same sectors.
Unite regional officer and acting chairman of the national craft group Brian Gormley said: “Our members are furious at the blatant unfairness of this levy.
“The pension for a craft worker in this sector with 25 years’ service would amount to little more than €80 per week and any levy imposed by the Government is totally unjustified.”
About 13,000 members of the Civil Public and Services Union have already voted in favour of industrial action. They are to hold a one-day strike next Thursday.
Some 10,000 members of the Public Service Executive Union, which represents mid-ranking civil servants, are currently balloting on industrial action.
The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) said yesterday that, in effect, the pension contributions for its members following the imposition of the new levy would range from between 22 per cent to 27 per cent of income. TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said teachers already paid a pension levy of 6.5 per cent. Under the benchmarking process last year, teachers also paid a further substantial hidden levy as it found that a 12 per cent discount on salaries should be applied to take account of pension arrangements.
“The new so-called pension levy – ranging from 3 per cent to 9.6 per cent dependent on income – would bring the total contribution to pension of teachers from between 22 per cent to 27 per cent of the income of public service workers.”