Strike set to go ahead on Wednesday as unions reject minister's latest bid for WRC talks

LAST UPDATE | 12 Oct

TRADE UNION LEADERS have rejected the government’s offer of WRC talks on Tuesday in an attempt to halt Wednesday’s public sector strike.

Responding to a letter sent by Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers this afternoon, which appealed to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) to postpone the planned strike and allow for talks to take place at the Workplace Relations Commission, union leaders said it did not change things.

“We refer to your letter received just before 3pm this afternoon and cannot see how this represents any change in your stated position.

“We believe that the Government needs to respond to the seriousness of the situation by acknowledging that the specific pay issues that we’ve identified will be addressed at the outset in any talks that may be arranged and by ensuring that confidence in the public service industrial relations process will be restored as unimplemented commitments from the last agreement have severely damaged it.

“Accordingly, we regret to say that your letter doesn’t provide a basis for the strike action scheduled for Wednesday to be postponed,” Kevin Callinan, ICTU chair, wrote.

In his letter, Chambers had pointed to the provision of €1.2 billion for public service pay in last week’s budget as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to reach an agreement.

“Further to my letter of 29 September, I wish to make clear that pay issues can and should be discussed as a priority alongside other matters as part of the pay talks,” he wrote.

“I believe an agreement can be reached without delay if both parties are willing to enter an intensive process of engagement as soon as possible. It remains my view that an agreement to the satisfaction of both sides could have been reached by now.

“The planned strike action on Wednesday the 14th of October will cause great disruption to the public, especially the most vulnerable in our society, and also result in an avoidable loss of earnings for public servants,” he said, adding that he believes the strike action is “unnecessary”.

Trade union Unite’s General Secretary Sharan Graham said in a statement following receipt of the minister’s letter: “Responsibility for this dispute lies squarely with the government.”

Graham said that the government “has tried to blame unions” for the dispute rather than coming to the negotiating table with “an inflation-beating pay offer”.

“Minister Chambers’ letter contained nothing new and was clearly written with an eye to the media rather than an eye to workers. Our members have Unite’s full support in this dispute.”

Wednesday’s strike is part of wider industrial action which began on 30 September amid a dispute over pay after the collective pay agreement covering public sector workers expired. A second strike day is scheduled for Wednesday 21 October if required.

Many workers are engaging in an all-out strike where workplaces will be closed; however, some have been given a derogation – a strike exemption – to allow them to carry out essential work such as emergency care.

Some union figures have warned that 400,000 workers could be striking; 385,000 workers are covered by the now-expired pay agreement, but not all are legally entitled to strike.

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Ireland’s largest public sector trade union Fórsa has said it will be the biggest public sector strike since the height of the financial crisis in 2009.

Among the striking workers are nurses, consultants, teachers, special needs assistants (SNA), firefighters, prison officers and dentists. A full list is available here. 

In a statement this afternoon, the Courts Service said courts will be cancelled on Wednesday and public counter service will not be available, except for :

• Emergency domestic violence and childcare applications 
• An Garda Síochána applications to remand an accused person in custody where station bail has not been granted; and
• In the High Court to deal with injunctions to protect life, health, safety or welfare.

 District Courts are automatically adjourned to the next sitting in the same District Court district, except where the judge assigned to the district specifically adjourns the court to a different day.

Elsewhere, all Revenue public information offices will also be closed on Wednesday as a result of the strike, with phone services also impacted. 

• Who’s striking, who’s not? What you need to know ahead of nationwide day of protest next Wednesday