Lower-paid civil servants have warned that serious industrial action could be on the cards if the Government does not address its concerns about the controversial pension levy for staff in the public sector.
Several thousand members of the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU) staged lunchtime protests outside Government offices this afternoon.
CPSU general secretary Blair Horan said his executive had decided to hold off on further industrial action next week to give a "breathing space" for talks between the Government and the social partners on a new national agreement for economic recovery.
The pension levy is expected to be one of the issues for consideration as part of these discussions.
However, Mr Horan said that the issue of industrial action would be considered when the union's annual conference commences in Galway tomorrow week.
Today's lunchtime dispute affected Government departments and related agencies such as Social Welfare, Revenue, courts, Garda stations and passport offices.
The CPSU said it supports the resumption of talks announced yesterday between the Government, unions and business chiefs, which has led to the deferral of Monday’s national day of action.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said it was calling off its protest pending the outcome of the social partnership negotiations and the mini-budget due on April 7th.
Meanwhile, the first engagement between the Government and the social partners aimed at securing a new agreement on an economic recovery plan has begun this afternoon.
On his way into the talks, Jerry Shanahan of the union Unite said the current process would have to feed into the forthcoming budget "if it was to have any real relevance". He said if the talks did not influence issues in the budget such as fair taxation or job creation, it would be an "effort wasted".
It had been anticipated the social partners would receive a briefing on the recent Economic and Social Council report on the economy, but Eamon Devoy of the TEEU said the unions had been called to a meeting by the Government.
Unite said it will enter talks with Government and employers today "with a view to shifting the policy . . . from one of slash and burn to one of stimulus".
"Every country in the world bar Ireland has recognised that the financial deficit is a symptom, not the root of the problem," said Unite regional secretary Jimmy Kelly.
"The focus on ending the recession has to be on controlling unemployment. Less jobs means less tax revenue, less spending, a spiral of reduced consumption and increased lay offs, uncontrolled welfare costs and social pain. We have to bring that to a halt, and we can," Mr Kelly said.
