THE EXECUTIVE of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) is expected to consider proposals for a “sustained campaign” of opposition to proposed cutbacks in services or any reductions in public sector pay when it meets on Wednesday.
It is understood the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU) will propose the reactivation of plans put forward by Ictu earlier this year for a national day of strike action.
However, sources said Ictu and some constituent unions were already working on proposals for a more prolonged and sustained campaign of opposition to the recent McCarthy report on expenditure cuts, any reductions in public sector pay and the report of the Commission on Taxation.
Ictu effectively backs the position of Siptu vice-president Brendan Hayes who refused to sign up to the report of the commission published last week.
Any Ictu campaign would also express unhappiness at Government action on jobs.
Unions and employers had sought a €1 billion exchequer investment in a job creation and protection scheme. Unions were deeply annoyed at the scale of a €250 million job subsidy scheme introduced over the summer as well as at the manner in which it was put in place by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Employment Mary Coughlan.
The precise nature of the Ictu proposals, to be considered on Wednesday, are not known at this stage. However, sources said they could include industrial action.
Last spring, Ictu had planned a national day of strike action to try to force the Government to engage in an agreed economic recovery programme.
However, this proposed wave of strikes, which had the potential to cause serious disruption in the transport, health and education sectors, was suspended to allow for further talks with the Government and other social partners.
The campaign for the day of strike action ran into trouble as the country’s largest public sector union, Impact, had to pull out after its members failed to back the industrial action. Members of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants also voted decisively not to take part.
Some union leaders have said that they were coming under pressure from members in recent weeks following the publication of the McCarthy report on proposed expenditure cuts and comments made by Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan about the minimum wage possibly having to be reduced in some circumstances.
The lengthy talks on an agreed economic recovery deal have also not been successful to date.
A speech by Taoiseach Brian Cowen last Wednesday in which he appeared to indicate that public sector pay cuts could also be on the agenda has additionally caused some unease.
Ironically, the Ictu executive meeting on Wednesday coincides with a resumption of talks between unions and the Government on public sector reform, talks which have effectively been frozen since before the summer.
The plenary talks between the public service committee of Ictu and public sector management will take place in the Department of the Taoiseach on Wednesday afternoon.
Union leaders believe that if progress is made in these talks they could be followed by an a round of intensive discussions in the different sectors of the public sector over the following fortnight or so.
