Dublin: Negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute over a new pay agreement for Ireland’s public sector workers have ended without an agreement, prompting trade unions to consider renewed industrial action.
Hundreds of thousands of public sector employees took part in a nationwide strike in October. A further round of industrial action had initially been planned but was postponed to allow negotiations with the Department of Public Expenditure to continue. However, following the breakdown of the latest talks, unions are once again preparing for a possible national strike.
The Public Services Committee (PSC) of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) will meet on Monday to decide whether to proceed with another nationwide strike on Wednesday, November 11.
Negotiations, which began last Monday under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), reportedly became heated at several points. A spokesperson for Fórsa, Ireland’s largest public service trade union, said discussions continued until midnight on Friday but failed to produce an agreement.
Despite lengthy negotiations, the spokesperson said it was not possible to reach a settlement that unions could confidently recommend to their members.
The ICTU Public Services Committee is expected to meet again on Monday morning to brief affiliated unions on the outcome of the discussions and determine the next course of action.
Nationwide disruption during previous strike
The previous industrial action involved public sector employees across several essential services, including nurses, doctors, teachers and government staff.
Workers escalated their action to a full nationwide strike following an earlier work-to-rule campaign, with unions insisting that pay increases should be given priority in negotiations.
The strike caused widespread disruption across the country. Schools, hospitals and courts experienced closures or significant interruptions to services. Thousands of hospital appointments were postponed, while driving tests and court proceedings were also severely affected.
A further strike could once again place considerable pressure on public services and disrupt the daily lives of people across Ireland.
Government-appointed committee asked to examine unresolved issues
Despite 10 days of discussions facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission, the commission concluded that an agreement could not be reached on certain outstanding issues.
The WRC has reportedly asked a government-appointed committee to examine these unresolved matters and recommend possible solutions.
Discussions on the remaining issues will continue under the commission’s supervision.
The Department of Public Expenditure also indicated that details of the ongoing negotiations would remain confidential while the process had not been fully concluded.
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