THE PRESIDENT of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), Jack O’Connor, has said the potential still exists for a deal allowing for the transformation of public services and the reversal of controversial pay cuts.
However, he does not believe the Government will negotiate acceptable terms unless faced “with the inevitability of immense industrial action”.
Trade unions representing staff in the public sector have served formal notice on the Government of possible industrial action to come into effect within days in protest against pay cuts.
Initially this will involve a work-to-rule and a withdrawal of co-operation with reform and modernisation plans.
However, Mr O’Connor, who is also president of Siptu, the country’s largest trade union, told The Irish Times last night that he did not believe these measures would be sufficient to leverage an agreement.
While he hoped he was wrong, he said that the Government was under enormous pressure from business interests and the political right.
“The potential for an innovative agreement still exists. However, it will not materialise unless the Government, as the employer, believes it is faced with the inevitability of a determined industrial campaign. There is still time for negotiation but it is running out.”
Separately, in an article in Siptu’s online newsletter Liberty, Mr O’Connor said the Government would “only negotiate a fair agreement if they believe we have the resolve and determination to conduct a campaign of industrial action and strikes on a sustained basis”.
“The steps agreed so far represent a beginning. Much more resolute action will be required,” he said.
Mr O’Connor said the failed talks with the Government last month on reducing the public sector pay bill would have reconciled the interests of public service workers with the Government’s budgetary targets.
“These were sabotaged for reasons unconnected with either public provision or fiscal requirements. They fell foul of the business lobby and those on the political ‘right’ because agreement would have frustrated their wider objective of cutting pay across the economy.
“This is by no means the end of it. The Government’s fiscal plan requires a further cut of €3 billion in 2011 and again in 2012.
“A number of Ministers have publicly declared their intention to effect public service transformation on pain of the threat of another savage pay cut next year.
“Indeed, in the absence of a determined industrial response they will impose radical change, dismantling conditions of employment, outsourcing at will, as well as inflicting further pay cuts in 2011 and 2012. Consequently there is no alternative but to respond.”
He said the aim of the industrial action campaign was to persuade the Government to negotiate an alternative to the Towards 2016 transitional agreement which has been reneged upon.