Unions warn of rolling local strikes if national walkout fails to end pay dispute

Public sector employees in Ireland should expect more than just a single day of disruption next week. If the current pay dispute is not resolved, unions plan to shift from national one-day strikes to a series of localized, sector-specific actions. This change in strategy could lead to ongoing interruptions in services across the country.

The dispute began when union negotiators rejected a government pay offer of 7.75 percent over two and a half years. Unions subsequently approved a national strike for November 12. That date is notable because Ireland is hosting world leaders for the European Political Community meeting and an informal summit of European leaders as part of its presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Kevin Callinan, the general secretary of Fórsa, outlined the potential next steps on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland on Wednesday. His union represents nearly one-third of the more than 300,000 public and civil servants involved in the dispute. Callinan stated that further one-day national strikes are unlikely if the standoff continues beyond Thursday. Instead, he suggested the unions are considering 'sectoral actions' and 'possibly stoppages.'

The proposed strategy involves using the union's strike fund to pay members who are selected for specific weeks of action. Callinan explained that this would allow unions to rotate groups of employees out on strike. For example, 1,000 members in one area might strike in one week, followed by 1,000 members in another area the following week. This method gives unions flexibility to target key areas in education, health, social protection, and local government.

The government’s current offer, which includes 6.75 percent pay rises plus 1 percent for local bargaining, has been criticized by unions as 'not credible.' Callinan argued that with inflation running at 4 percent or higher, the proposed pay increases would be wiped out quickly within the 30-month agreement period. He stated that this arrangement places the risk of inflation entirely on the public servants' side.

Negotiations are not yet over. Both sides are currently engaging separately with a steering committee chaired by Kevin Foley, the chairman of the Workplace Relations Commission. The goal is to establish a basis for resuming direct talks. Callinan declined to specify the exact minimum figure unions require for a deal but noted that WRC officials have a strong understanding of what is needed to settle the dispute.

The next major date on the calendar is November 12. If no agreement is reached by then, the national strike will proceed. Following that date, the decision to move to rolling local disruptions will depend on whether the government accepts a new proposal or if the unions decide to deploy their strike fund for targeted actions.