Actions louder than words
Related Articles
JACK O'Connor, leader of the country's biggest trade union, says the social partnership talks are at an end. The Government for its part has not entirely given up hope of restarting them, but cannot deny the size of the gap between the participants.
The impasse could hardly have arisen at a worse time. Yesterday the European Commission announced that Ireland faces a deep and prolonged recession. It forecast that our economy will shrink by 9pc this year (as opposed to the Government's 7.7pc forecast) and by a further 2.6pc next year.
In plain language, we are even worse off than we thought. And the last thing we need at this time is industrial unrest, perhaps culminating in a series of strikes.
The consequences could only be catastrophic. First, the loss of earnings and production. Secondly, the further loss of confidence on the international financial markets and among our trading partners -- at a time when export figures provide virtually the only glimmer of light.
Mr O'Connor calls for "a supreme national effort" in the face of the crisis. That echoes language used on the other side of the table, but do the two sides mean the same thing?
Sacrifices will be required of the SIPTU members whom he represents. In return, there are items in the unions' proposals which the Government might well consider as steps to recovery. But to bring the talks back to life, the Government, employers and unions must restore genuine partnership, not confrontation.
