Unions reject Government offer, strike set for Wednesday

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers are expected to join picket lines on Wednesday after unions turned down a last‑ditch offer from the Government.

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers wrote to union leaders on Monday proposing talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), but the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) public sector committee rejected the proposal within two hours, saying it did not represent a change in the Government’s position.

The 24‑hour strike is set to affect schools, hospitals and a range of public services, with nurses, doctors, teachers and civil servants among those due to walk out over a pay dispute.

ICTU’s letter called for the Government to address specific pay issues at the start of talks, warning that confidence in the industrial relations process had been “severely damaged” by unimplemented commitments in the previous pay deal.

Minister Chambers is due to brief the Cabinet on the expected impacts, including cancellation of non‑emergency hospital appointments and closure of schools, colleges and universities. He described the strike as “unnecessary” and pointed to €1.2 bn of funding earmarked for a pay deal, though union sources say this falls short of what is needed.

The HSE confirmed that all non‑urgent appointments are cancelled, while emergency services remain open but with a curtailed ambulance service. Union leaders have urged members to take part in picket duties, signalling that further action may follow the confirmed strike days on 14 and 21 October.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Markus Spiske / Pexels.