Chambers Ireland has today criticised the move by trade unions to start issuing notice of industrial action.
Unions representing staff in the public service have begun formally serving notice of industrial action on the Government to take effect from later this month in protest at cuts in pay introduced in the Budget.
Trade union Impact has formally warned the Department of Finance that industrial action up to and including a series of strike actions would commence from Monday, January 25th.
However, Chambers Ireland, which represents more than 13,000 businesses, said the move was "ill-judged" and "disappointing".
Speaking today, Chambers Ireland chief executive Ian Talbot said: "While many public servants have taken significant cuts in recent times, these measures are necessary given the collapse in tax revenues as a result of the recession.
"Private sector workers are continuing to be flexible in order to keep their companies in operation - and to sustain their jobs. Public servants meanwhile have, until now, enjoyed job security which is an important asset in uncertain times," Mr Talbot said.
"Further industrial action will be of no benefit to our already challenged economy. Job retention, job creation and competitiveness, not absolute rates of pay, have to be our priority. The time has come for the Trade Unions to realise this," Mr Talbot added.
Separately yesterday, the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU) told the Department of Finance that its members in Government departments and non-commercial State agencies would commence industrial action from Tuesday, January 19th.
The letter said this would involve “restrictions on normal duties and also work to rule measures”. Impact is also expected to serve notice of industrial action on the health service and local authorities later in the week.
The executive council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation – formerly the INO – decided yesterday to issue notice of industrial action on the Health Service Executive.
This is to involve a ban on co-operation with any change or transformation programme; any new work practices, any new initiatives and with the further development of primary care teams.
The moves by the various trade unions is in line with a strategy announced by the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) last week as part of its campaign against the pay cuts introduced for public service staff.
The Ictu public services committee is to meet again today to consider the campaign, which will involve a new phase in the weeks ahead.