The country’s largest public service trade union, Fórsa, is to ballot more than 90,000 members in the public sector to see if they are willing to take industrial action over pay.
Unions have accused the Government of failing to establish a basis for public sector pay talks following the expiry of the previous public service agreement last week.
On Friday, the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) said that its 19 affiliated unions would begin the process of consulting members, with industrial action ballots expected to follow in the coming weeks.
Fórsa General Secretary Kevin Callinan, who also chairs the ICTU Public Services Committee, described the current situation as very serious.
“For a multi-year agreement of the type the Government wants to be acceptable to workers, it must address the cost of living,” Mr Callinan said.
“Over the last five years pay has fallen well behind prices. So, a radical rethink of the government’s commitment to its public service employees is necessary to provide certainty and stability for both sides of an agreement,” he said.
“It is totally reasonable that we are seeking clarity on a credible approach to pay so that we know talks will deliver for members,” he added.
Fórsa represents public service workers across the civil service, semi-state agencies, local authorities, education and health.
In recent days, SIPTU and Unite have also announced plans to ballot their members in the public sector for industrial action.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has said previously that the threat of industrial action is unnecessary and that the Government wants to reach an agreement on public sector pay.
A spokesperson for the Department of Public Expenditure said the Government remains available for engagement with unions on all matters.
“It is only through engagement that agreement can be reached,” the Department said.
