Ireland's public sector strike still on as pay talks stall
Unions are maintaining preparations for Thursday's walkout despite late-night progress on a 10.5% pay package.
By Khalid Khalil ·
Public servants in Ireland will likely continue with their planned strike on Thursday, even though late-night negotiations on pay have produced a breakthrough. The unions have not yet cancelled the action, meaning schools, hospitals, and other government services remain at risk of disruption.
The two sides met at the Workplace Relations Commission, or WRC, in Dublin. These talks resumed after a Government-appointed steering group led by WRC chair Kevin Foley facilitated initial discussions earlier in the week. The focus of the Monday evening session was the government's revised offer, which was released over the weekend.
The new proposal provides for a total pay increase of 10.5% over a three-year period. This improves on the previous offer of 7.75% that unions rejected more than a week ago. The package also includes minimum increases for lower-paid staff that exceed the headline figures, and it backdates an initial 2% rise to July 1st. These specific measures for low earners address a major point of criticism from union leaders regarding the original deal.
Negotiations continued past midnight as the parties debated the duration of the agreement. The government initially proposed a 30-month term, but union sources indicated that a four-month reduction was agreed upon during the talks. The government side maintained its position on the scale of the increases, citing a total implementation cost of €5 billion. It is not clear what further movement occurred after that point in the evening.
A formal agreement is expected to be reached later on Tuesday. However, union leaders say the process is not finished. Even if a deal on pay is finalized, the two sides must return to the WRC to settle outstanding non-pay issues, including workplace change and flexibility. Until those matters are resolved, the unions are proceeding on the basis that the strike will occur.
Fórsa and Siptu, the two largest participating unions, have continued preparations for the stoppage and associated demonstrations in eight cities and towns. Katie Morgan, deputy general secretary of Fórsa, told members that plans for the strike and rallies must continue until they hear back from the negotiators. The union reported that about 50,000 of its members had registered to participate in the marches, with 20,000 signed up for the event in Dublin.
Siptu stated it is working to confirm derogations for staff who must maintain essential services, particularly in the health sector. Meanwhile, the Garda Representative Association has stood down its own planned work-to-rule action for the week. The police union said it made progress with the Garda Commissioner. This development is notable because the industrial action was set to coincide with high-profile events for Ireland's presidency of the Council of the EU, including a visit to Dublin on Thursday by about 50 government leaders and heads of state, such as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
