The comments by Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan that teachers should be “realistic” about what can emerge from the forthcoming pay restoration talks with the Government is simply a restatement of official policy.
However, it remains to be seen whether teachers or other public service groups are prepared to listen.
The Government is expected to convene talks with trade unions next month aimed at achieving the orderly unwinding of financial emergency legislation which underpinned two and in some cases three cuts in earnings for public service staff since 2009.
However, as far back as last January Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin said there would be no bonanza for staff arising from the new talks.
Last month one of his most senior officials told an industrial relations conference that there would be “a finite amount of money, a very finite amount of money available “.
Priorities
The various measures introduced over recent years generated savings of €2.2 billion for the Government on its public service pay bill and the prospect of everything being reversed in one fell swoop always seemed remote.
As they enter the talks the various public service groups are more than likely going to have to try to come up with some set of priorities for the first year of any new deal at least.
There have been suggestions that this could involve a flat rate increase rather than a percentage rise, as this would provide a greater benefit to the lower paid. Easing the pension levy is another option.
Whether all the various public service groups can sign up to an agreed position is unknown at this stage.
Already on the first full day of the teachers’ conferences, a flurry of demands have emerged and a lot more will come to the fore as doctors, nurses, civil servants and others hold their conferences in the weeks ahead.
The ASTI is to seek the abolition of the pension levy and the rescinding of the additional 33 hours per year teachers have to work under the Croke Park/Haddington Road deals, while the INTO is also looking for the payment of awards dating back to a previous social partnership accord.
The various education conferences also want a reversal of cuts introduced to qualifications for teachers.
One motion submitted to the ASTI conference calls for all money deducted under the financial emergency legislation to be repaid in full by the end of next December.
While the Government seems set to offer some money to public service staff – although there will be arguments over the amount – the issue of the productivity measures such as extra hours may be more problematic.
Howlin has suggested previously that many of the reform measures put in place in the public service are there to stay.
Any move by the Government to abolish the Croke Park hours for teachers could have considerable knock-on implications in other parts of the public service, with nurses and lower-paid civil servants having already raised the issue of their longer working week.
It could also be expensive. While it is estimated the additional teaching hours save €43 million, the 1½ additional hours which nurses, for example, have to work each week generate savings of about €200 million annually for the health sector.
