Recent criticisms of the cost of public services are veiled efforts to soften up those who provide them ahead of a second pay cut, the general secretary of the Impact trade union said today.
Peter McLoone said the "relentless" condemnation of public servants by politicians, economists, media commentators and business people had been “incredibly damaging” to the sector and the morale of those working in it.
Mr McLoone said public services and those who provide them were not the cause of the economic or budgetary crisis and that attempts to cut pay, pensions or enforce redundancies would be resisted.
He said if industrial conflict was to be avoided, there needed to be meaningful negotiation between public sector unions and the Government ahead of the Budget in December.
“Our message to Government is that they should seek an alternative way to effecting the public spending reductions which we all agree are necessary,” he said.
“The Government at the moment seems hell bent on pursuing a further reduction in pay as the only option and what we’re suggesting is that they sit down and negotiate with us and other public service unions to achieving the efficiencies we believe can contribute to the reduction in expenditure but at the same time ensuring we minimise the reduction of services to the public.”
Mr McLoone said singling public servants out for pay cuts was neither fair or likely to resolve the State’s economic problems, which were caused by “unacceptable practice” in banking, finance, construction and property.
Speaking at the launch of an Impact advertising campaign entitled “Public Services: Transformation Not Cuts”, which responds to that criticism, Mr McLoone said public servants had already taken a pay cut of some 7.5 per cent and demonstrated a willingness to preserve the services people need and value during a difficult time.
“We are arguing for a transformation in public service delivery to preserve the quality and range of public services while budgets decline,” he said. “This would include identifying and cutting waste, changes in work practices and vastly increased productivity.”
Mc McLoone said he hoped the advertising campaign, which will cost some €450,000, would address the often ill-informed criticism and myths surrounding public services.
Impact is balloting 55,000 members for a mandate for strike action in the event of the Government introducing pay cuts.
