Teachers, gardaí, doctors and nurses are all planning, or threatening, industrial action over the coming weeks and months.
Here’s a guide to what’s happening.
Teachers
When? The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) members are set to stage seven days of strikes between the end of October and early December.
The strike days are: Thursday, October 27th; Tuesday, November 8th; Wednesday, November 16th; Thursday, November 24th; Tuesday, November 24th; Tuesday, December 6th; and Wednesday December 7th.
In addition, the union plans to cease supervision and substitution duties from Monday, November 7th, onwards, which could close hundreds of schools indefinitely if suitable external personnel cannot be recruited in time to provide alternative arrangements .
Why? The union is protesting at lower pay rates for recently-qualified teachers. Separately, its 17,000 members are withdrawing from carrying out supervision and substitution duties due to the Government's decision to impose financial penalties -- including the withholding of promised payment for this work -- because the union has "repudiated" the Lansdowne Road pay deal.
So how many schools will be affected? Up to 525 – or two-thirds of secondary schools in Ireland – will close as a result of the action, at least initially.
Those at greatest risk of closure are voluntary secondary schools (typically owned or managed by religious bodies) as community and comprehensive schools. Those least likely to be affected are the 200-plus secondary schools run by the Education and Training Boards (formerly VECs) - about 20 are at risk of closure.
The Government's plans? There are contingency plans to keep schools affected by the supervision and substitution withdrawal open. School principal (and former footballer and current commentator) Colm O'Rourke is not impressed with the plans. In any case, the three-week window available to recruit and vet supervisors is considered far too narrow by most school management bodies.
The fact that the ASTI strike includes school principals means executing contingency plans will be close to impossible across many schools.
Gardaí
When are the strikes? Two thousand sergeants and inspectors will join the 10,500 rank-and-file gardaí in 24-hour strikes from 7am on the four Fridays in November (4th, 11th, 18th, 25th).
Why? The strike action (in all but name) is due to pay – the Association of Garda Sergeants & Inspectors has lodged a 16.5 per cent pay restoration claim - and access to the State's industrial relations mechanisms.
Are they likely to go ahead and what happens if they do? Martin Wall reports that Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has not yet discussed contingency plans with the Garda Commissioner for dealing with planned strikes by gardaí. The Department of Justice is to meet with the Agsi on Thursday and the GRA on Friday in an attempt to avert planned industrial action. Conor Lally has detailed what to expect during the four days of industrial action by gardai. What happens if someone breaks into my house? Or someone has a serious road traffic accident? Or someone just wants their passport application form stamped?
Doctors and Nurses
When? Nothing is confirmed as yet, however, doctors are the latest group to warn of strike action and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have already warned about potential industrial action.
Why? For the doctors, the threat is due to the unilateral abolition of a €3,000 living-out allowance for non-consultant doctors appointed since 2012. The Irish Medical Organisation will next week take the Government to court over issue. It said the money was not paid, despite provision for it remaining in contracts with employers. The INMO have said they will hold a vote on industrial action if bed numbers and services are not reduced in line with available staffing levels. The nurses' union has also called for the "immediate acceleration" of pay and pension restoration.
