Marching SIPTU chief says partnership is way forward
Thursday November 12 2009
THE leader of the country's biggest union said he is still "determined" to strike a national rescue deal with the Government during a major demonstration by frontline workers.
Despite the march by 3,000 state employees and a looming 24-hour strike in under a fortnight, SIPTU leader Jack O'Connor insisted that social partnership is the only way forward.
Pay
He told off-duty gardai, nurses, prison officers, and members of the emergency services that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions wants to broker an agreement even though there has been little progress at talks.
But he said any deal would have to see the wealthy contribute as public sector workers escalated their campaign against the Government's plans to slash the public sector pay bill by €1.3bn.
"And we are determined that the way will be found out of the problems which they (the wealthy) have consigned our generation of Irish men and women to," he said.
However, earlier this week, chief public sector negotiator Peter McLoone said that public sector workers and the Government were on a "trajectory of conflict" and held out little hope of a deal. During his speech, Mr O'Connor denied there were divisions between yesterday's protesters -- workers on 24-hour rosters who fear cuts in allowances, premium pay, and overtime that were proposed in the McCarthy report -- and other public sector employees mostly concerned about their basic pay. A strongly-worded letter was handed in to Finance Minister Brian Lenihan warning him he would crush the spirit of his employees at a time of economic crisis if he "exclusively raids" their pockets.
"To those who have sought to criticise or compare or belittle the work of any category represented in this frontline alliance, we say simply two words: 'Try it'."
The leader of the 24/7 Frontline Alliance, Des Kavanagh, said the campaign will escalate this week when TDs will be asked to announce their position, and the results will be published.
PJ Stone of the GRA said it was "grossly unfair" that the Bord Snip Nua report honed in on the garda allowances, most of which were agreed in lieu of pay rises.
- Anne-Marie Walsh Industry Correspondent
Irish Independent
