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More than 100,000 public sector workers in the Republic of Ireland have begun industrial action over an unresolved pay dispute, with nurses, school staff and civil servants among those taking part, according to the BBC.
Workers began operating under work-to-rule measures on Wednesday, limiting their duties to those required under their contracts. The action affects parts of the health service, education system and local councils.
Health workers limit duties
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said staff in the public health service would carry out only duties necessary to ensure safe patient care and “will not work any additional unpaid hours”.
Nurses and midwives taking part will also not attend non-clinical meetings unless their participation is strictly necessary for direct patient care, the organisation said.
Fórsa, the Republic of Ireland’s largest public sector union, has joined the action after 96.6% of members who voted in an industrial ballot backed taking action. SIPTU members representing public sector workers in health and administration are also participating.
Unions say talks have stalled
Fórsa said there were currently no talks with the Irish government on a new public sector pay agreement after the previous deal expired on 30 June.
The union said discussions with state employers had been delayed by the government’s unwillingness to address cost-of-living measures at the beginning of negotiations. It said workers were now in a dispute with the government as their employer.
SIPTU Divisional Organiser Brendan O’Brien said workers’ “goodwill” had played a major role in keeping public services operating. He said the government’s failure to establish a basis for formal negotiations had left members with no alternative but to act collectively.
O’Brien called on public service employers and the government to engage “constructively and urgently” to prevent the dispute from escalating.
Government urges unions to enter talks
Ireland’s Department of Public Expenditure told broadcaster RTÉ that unions and representative organisations had chosen industrial action instead of negotiations.
A department spokesperson said it was “deeply unfair” for the public to face significant disruption because unions were unwilling to engage constructively on a new agreement. The department said officials remained ready to begin talks without further delay.
It added that meaningful progress was possible only if both sides were open to sustained engagement without preconditions.
Further strikes planned
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation have said they will begin work-to-rule action on 5 October, followed by a full one-day strike on 14 October.
The secondary teachers’ union said up to 20,000 teachers would take part. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, which represents a majority of primary school teachers, said it planned a second one-day strike on 21 October.
Full-day strike action is expected to lead to school closures and picket lines across the country. Rank-and-file members of the Garda Representative Association have also announced several days of action over working conditions.
