Call for independent group for pay talks after impasse reached

A Government Appointed Group has been requested after public sector pay talks reached an impasse.

The talks aimed at resolving the public sector pay dispute failed to reach an agreement by late Friday night, and unions raised the prospect of a further day of national strike action.

On Saturday, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) indicated that after 10 days of intensive talks, it is of the view that certain matters have reached an impasse.

“The commission have today stated that it is requesting that the Government Appointed Group consider those issues and put forward a means of resolution,” they said in a statement.

“Government remains committed to agreeing a fair and credible pay deal for workers across the public service that is also affordable and sustainable for the country.

“All other matters under discussion shall remain with the WRC.”

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers participated in a nationwide strike in October.

A planned repeat was suspended to facilitate talks with the Department of Public Expenditure but is now back on the table.

The Public Services Committee (PSC) of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is to meet on Monday to consider the next nationwide strike for Wednesday November 11.

On Friday, the general secretary of Ireland’s largest public sector union, Fórsa, said talks at the WRC – which began on Monday October 19 – had at times been “heated”.

Kevin Callinan, who is also chairman of the PSC, had said unions would be left with “no alternative but to escalate the action” if agreement was not reached by the weekend.

As talks were adjourned shortly before midnight on Friday, a union spokesperson said: “Despite lengthy negotiations, we have reached an impasse.

“It does not appear possible, at this time, to negotiate an agreement that unions could confidently put to members in a ballot.

“We will reconvene with the affiliate unions of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ Public Services Committee on Monday morning to update them on the negotiations, and to discuss our next steps.

“We also wish to thank the officials of the Workplace Relations Commission for their efforts.”

The last strike forced the closure of schools, the rescheduling of thousands of non-emergency hospital appointments, and the cancellation of driving tests and most court hearings.

The public sector workers, including nurses, doctors, teachers and civil servants, launched the national strike after first engaging in work-to-rule action.

Unions had demanded that pay would be top of the agenda in the talks, with the Government saying it would be discussed as a priority.