Public sector unions are preparing for potential industrial action ballots over a “failure to establish a basis for talks on a new public service pay agreement”.
The previous pay deal, which lasted for 2½ years and expired on Tuesday, saw public servants receive increases of more than 10 per cent during that time.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers warned that any new agreement must be “sustainable and affordable”.
The Public Services Committee (PSC) of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) said on Friday that its 19 affiliated unions will be preparing for potential industrial action ballots.
RM Block
It comes after last week’s exploratory meetings between officers of the PSC and officials from the Department of Public Expenditure failed to reach a deal.
The PSC said unions had argued that a pay increase is required to cover the period from July to December this year.
“While no specific claim has been tabled, unions noted that inflation was running at 3.6 per cent in May, more than wiping out the benefit of the 1 per cent increases paid in February and June,” a union statement said.
The PSC acknowledged that lower-paid workers were “rightly prioritised in recent agreements” but said the gains had been overstated when compared with the increase in the national minimum wage, which rose by 34.05 per cent between 2021 and 2026.
“The Minister has said that everything is on the table and has attempted to characterise the union position as setting pre-conditions. That does not reflect our experience of the exploratory talks,” PSC chair and Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said.
“What unions are seeking is clarity on pay before entering a wider process, because public servants have already seen pay fall significantly behind prices in recent years,” he added.
Irish National Teachers’ Organisation general secretary John Boyle said schoolteachers “need a deal that reflects the real pressures they are facing. Cost of living remains a central concern, and that has an effect on the recruitment and retention of teachers, especially those in the early stages of their careers.”
Siptu general secretary John King added that protections for public services must form part of any agreement.
Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said nurses and midwives required both fair pay and safe working conditions.
“Safe staffing remains a critical issue for our members. Any future agreement must support safe, sustainable services while also addressing the cost-of-living pressures facing healthcare workers,” she said.
Unions will now begin the process of consulting members, with ballots expected to follow in the coming weeks.
