19 February 2009

CPSU Members vote for Industrial Action

More than 13,000 Irish civil servants who belong to the Civil & Public Service Union (CPSU) have voted decisively to take industrial action in protest against the proposed new pensions levy, for which legislation was published yesterday by the government.
83% of the union members balloted voted in favour of strike action, with 17% voting against. The turnout was 86% of the membership.

The CPSU is now set to hold a one-day strike in a week's time - on Thursday next, February 26th - which will affect services across a range of government departments, including social welfare offices.

Yesterday over 4000 civil servants and public sector workers attended a rally outside Leinster House to protest against the levy. There was also a similar - though much smaller - protest by members of the police union GRA (see yesterday's entry below).

It can be expected that this will not be end of the matter, since the government is determined to push through legislation and the affected civil servants and public sector workers are outraged and angry over the new levy. So we better brace ourselves for a season of discontent, disruption and more gloom on the Emerald Isle.

The Emerald Islander

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