Unions Urged To Keep Negotiating And Avoid Wednesday's Strike Action

A Government TD is asking unions to focus on negotiations rather than planning for strike action.

More than 300-thousand workers, including teachers, nurses and civil servants, are expected to walk off the job on Wednesday, causing widespread disruption to schools and hospitals.

Unions say the Government's pay proposals fall short of what's needed, and are threatening a second day of industrial action on October 21st.

Wicklow Wexford TD Malcolm Byrne says industrial action is not in anyone's best interest and should be avoided:

"We know that this strike is ultimately going to be solved.

"The Government has set aside €1.2 billion in the Budget to resolve it so there is money on the table.

"It's a case now of getting people around the table to talk about that and it has to be done without preconditions."

Deputy Byrne says the Government has to make sure a public sector pay increase is worth it before they can meet union demands.

Health services in the South East are set to be effected but emergency care will still be facilitated.

Deputy Byrne says HSE staffing numbers have shot up in recent times:

"The number of people employed there has increased by over 38 per cent over the last decade while the number of civil servants is up over 52 per cent.

"That has lead to a big increase in the public sector pay bill and Government has to say, 'are we getting more of a return as a result of that increase?'

"The only way all of this is going to be resolved is by everybody sitting down."

The public are entitled to see better services if a public sector pay increase is negotiated this week according to Deputy Byrne.

He's warning the Government only has a limited amount of wiggle room when it comes to pay talks.

Deputy Byrne wants to know where the money will come from if the unions get their way:

"If the Government makes a decision to increase public sector pay by a particular level, that has to be funded in some way.

"If there's particular increases in pay and in the number of public sector workers, the public will say 'what will we get in return for that?"

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.