ICTU seeks clarity on basis of public sector pay talks invitation from Government

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has written to the Government seeking clarity on whether proposed talks on a new public service pay deal will include discussions around the removal of emergency industrial relations legislation introduced during the financial crisis.

The decision follows a meeting of representatives of 19 affiliate unions who are members of ICTU's Public Services Committee (PSC) this morning.

"Specifically, we would like an assurance that the Government will take all necessary steps to restore industrial relations in the public service to the position which applied prior to the enactment of the 2009 emergency legislation," the letter stated.

It added that the minister's response "will assist the PSC to consider our approach to the discussions envisaged in your invitation and, if necessary, other avenues to address the matter."

Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One following the meeting, the chair of the committee, Kevin Callinan, said those present had unanimously endorsed an approach which involves agreeing what type of agreement the sides are trying to achieve.

"The minister in his media interviews earlier in the week appeared to clearly indicate a preference for a multi-year agreement, similar to what we've had over the last couple of decades," he said.

"We are saying very clearly today that there is no possibility of that kind of an agreement as long as the emergency legislation that was introduced 14 years ago at the time of the financial crash, as long as that remains in place," he added.

As a result, the committee is to write to the minister seeking clarification on his intention in relation to that and that will then inform ICTU's approach to the negotiations, Mr Callinan said.

"Because it will simply then turn to trying to negotiate a cost-of-living increase in response to the pressures that everyone is facing," he added.

Mr Callinan said that a multi-year agreement makes a lot of sense for everyone, including the country.

"But it is simply untenable that we would have the continuation of an approach that is informed by the financial crash crisis narrative, and we are seeing that effect the conduct of industrial relations right across the public service," he said.

"The problem is that it centralises control in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to an excessive extent and it means that ordinary industrial relations business, even when there is agreement between a union or unions and an employer, can’t be progressed, and it is simply not appropriate at this stage," he stated.

"So we are going to address that one way or another. We would like the Government to recognise that and agree to change it, so that we could negotiate an agreement over a duration," he added.

"If we can’t do that, we are going to focus on the current problem which is that the three year agreement, Building Momentum, has increases, but there is still a significant shortfall against prices over the period involved," he said.

Mr Callinan added that if an agreement is being negotiated into next year projections for inflation would have to be looked at, with prioritisation for the low paid.

Responding to today's development, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said Minister Donohoe would encourage the unions and representative associations to engage in discussions, believing that talks should get underway as soon as possible.

"Minister Donohoe does not propose to comment on the specific issues being raised," the department said in a statement.

"However, all sides have issues they want to see addressed. The best way to resolve these issues, including those raised by ICTU, is to progress into discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission.

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The department added that the Government is not setting any preconditions to the talks and is willing to engage on all issues, including those raised by the Public Services Committee of ICTU at their meeting today.

"Minister Donohoe believes that these discussions will be challenging," the department said.

"However, Government will engage constructively on the range of issues raised with the objective of reaching agreement on a new public service agreement."

Today's PSC meeting follows an invitation to talks issued by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, earlier in the week.

The current public sector pay deal, Building Momentum, is due to expire at the end of the year and a successor agreement needs to be ratified before the current deal expires.

In recent weeks, the Fórsa and SIPTU trade unions had threatened industrial action if the Government failed to engage on a successor agreement.