Taoiseach welcomes 'tone and disposition' of trade unions

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has welcomed the "tone and disposition" of trade union leaders after the head of Forsá indicated a resolution to the ongoing dispute could be found.

When asked if the situation between the Government and unions was better today than it was yesterday, Mr Martin said "I would like to think that" before expressing hope that next Wednesday's second national strike could be averted.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, General Secretary of Fórsa and Chair of ICTU's Public Services Committee Kevin Callinan called on Mr Martin to intervene in the public pay row and appoint "an honest broker" to resolve the dispute.

However, he also struck a conciliatory note, adding how he thought it "possible that we could build a potential pathway to a resolution on it", after Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said talks with unions could "absolutely" begin with pay.

Possibility to 'build a potential path' - Taoiseach

"We first of all welcome the tone and sort of disposition of Kevin and other trade union leaders, in terms of being open to an engagement and being open to a process that could lead to a resolution", Mr Martin said when Mr Callinan's comments were put to him.

"But I'm not going to comment specifically on any particular issue other than to say that we will on all sides, I think we can move this into a better space in terms of getting a resolution."

When asked if the situation was better today than it was yesterday, Mr Martin said: "I'd like to think that without overstating it and I understand fully the pressures people are on, the pressures public servants are on and workers are on, so we're focused on trying to get a process going that can lead to a satisfactory outcome in terms of a new National Pay Agreement."

Speaking in Irish, Mr Martin reiterated that the Government feels there is an opportunity after today to come to an agreement with trade unions and that pay will take priority at the beginning of any negotiations.

'Fundamental breach of trust' - Callinan

Earlier, Mr Callinan said that if Minister Chambers had met unions over the past four months, today's strike action could have been avoided.

"Nobody wants to be on strike. There is a way that we can resolve this, but we need a shift in the Government position.

"I've made clear this morning, I think, that there is a way in which that can be done."

He said that there has been "a fundamental breach of trust" and "a loss of confidence in the industrial relations system".

He said that they had a local bargaining provision in the last agreement but "public expenditure officials took a particular approach to that without our agreement", which has left at least half of the public service without payment, which was due in September of last year.

"They gave a commitment that the financial emergency measures in the Public Interest Act would be repealed three years ago. We still haven't seen that.

"We've been very clear that the gap that has arisen between wages and inflation and that has been accelerated by the most recent bout of inflation has to form part of a new public service deal."

Mr Callinan said that the Taoiseach needs to step in to resolve the dispute.

"I think unless the Taoiseach intervenes and perhaps appoints some honest broker, maybe assisted by representatives from both sides - on the union side and the employer side - that are removed from the immediacy of the action, then I think next week will go ahead and indeed this dispute will prove very intractable."

"It has worked before and I think it's worth trying."

However, he said that if Minister Chambers is sincere in what he says, he thinks it is possible to build a potential pathway to a resolution.

He also said that there are other issues apart from pay that need to be addressed, such as consultation in relation to AI.

"There's a provision in the last agreement that there be consultation in relation to AI. The minister has been over meeting the tech bros in California.

"He set up a unit in the department, but there's been no discussion with us about the implications of that."

'Glimmer of hope'

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has hailed comments from Minister Chambers as offering a "glimmer of hope" for a breakthrough in the public sector pay dispute.

She urged the Government not to row back from what she said was a "change of tone" and she urged the coalition to put pay squarely on the table.

Ms Bacik was speaking outside Leinster House as she joined picketing workers outside the complex.

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