There has been a sense of inevitability for some time about \wednesday’s strike by public sector employees. More than 300,000 workers in health, education and the civil service are taking part, which means schools close, non-urgent hospital care is cancelled and a wide range of public services are suspended for 24 hours. The stoppage, described by one union leader as only the second national public sector strike in 40 years, is an escalation in industrial relations, where relative peace has generally been the norm.
It has long been clear that union leaders felt a show of strength was necessary, both to reflect concern among members that wages are not keeping pace with the cost of living, and to demonstrate that they are just as prepared as other sectoral interests to flex their muscles in advance of pay negotiations.
Those negotiations have not begun, even though the previous public pay agreement expired at the end of June. The nominal reason for the delay is the Government’s refusal to accede to union demands that pay be addressed before discussions on other areas such as productivity or value for money.
Jack Chambers, the Minister for Public Expenditure, said on Tuesday that the unions were being unreasonable and that pay could be treated as a priority. The unions say the €1.2 billion set aside in the budget falls well short.
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Today’s action follows a work-to-rule in place since the end of September, under which nurses, special needs assistants, social welfare staff and teachers have refused overtime and unscheduled cover.
If the impasse is not broken, a second one-day stoppage is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 21st, and union sources have spoken of further escalation in November. These actions are not without serious consequences. Tens of thousands of cancelled medical appointments will add to waiting lists and put pressure on hospitals later in the winter. Closed schools affect educational outcomes and cause difficulties for families. For all these reasons, the parties have a duty to make every effort to avoid further disruption.
It is hard to avoid the impression that what is happening is more a piece of choreography than the sort of dispute that could develop into all-out action.
The unions know the Government will bend on its budget allocation for pay. The Government knows an accommodation can be reached on the sequencing of talks. Public sentiment appears more on the side of the strikers, although that may be tested if the dispute drags on for weeks. Now that this day of action has taken place, it is time for all concerned to bring real urgency to the task of finding a workable and acceptable solution.
