THE TRADE union representing lower-paid civil servants has said the first phase of the planned industrial action in protest at pay cuts is likely to come into effect today.
Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU) general secretary Blair Horan said last night its branches had been given autonomy to take action from an overall menu agreed with other public service unions.
The potential forms of industrial action include a work-to-rule, a strict operation of attendance times which could see closure of offices at lunchtime, a refusal to answer telephones or operate computers in certain areas and a possible boycott of parliamentary questions or ministerial representations.
The CPSU last week served formal notice on the Department of Finance of industrial action to begin from today.
The department is understood to be seeking details from the union about the nature and extent of industrial action planned.
A second Civil Service union, the PSEU, is expected to serve notice of industrial action on the Department of Finance tomorrow to come into effect on Wednesday of next week.
The country’s largest public sector union, Impact, has served notice of industrial action to come into effect from the beginning of next week.
The moves form part of a campaign of action planned by public sector unions in protest at the pay cuts introduced in the budget last month for staff in the public service.
The industrial action across the public service is also likely to involve a ban on co-operation with the Government’s reform proposals.
Industrial action could be stepped up from next month, with the possibility of selective strikes in some areas.
Meanwhile, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) is to seek the views of its 11,600 members on possible industrial action against pay cuts.
In a statement, the GRA said it was sending questionnaires to members, “seeking their views on taking action in the event of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) engaging in further industrial action over public sector pay’’.
General secretary PJ Stone said that gardaí had their pay reduced by five successive measures in the past year.
“Our members are working harder than ever to face down increasing crime with reduced Garda numbers,’’ he added. “We are all collectively aware of the poor state of the economy, but we are seeing rising levels of resentment that Garda pay is disproportionately cut to pay for the unregulated greed of others overseen by this very same Government.’’
Gardaí are being asked to select one of four options in the questionnaire and return their replies by 5pm on February 10th.
The options are: take no further steps; take such steps, short of the withdrawal of services, as may be determined by the central executive committee of the GRA; withdrawal of services; and other proposals suggested by members.