Trade unions are to ballot for a one day national stoppage on March 30th if Government doesn’t engage on a new three year economic stability plan.
The stoppage would affect all of the public sector and large numbers of private sector employers who have not paid the terms of the national wage agreement signed last year or any agreed alternative.
Unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) are to begin balloting over a three week period beginning on Monday.
The decision to ballot on the stoppage was taken by the Ictu Executive Council as part of a strategy following on from last Saturday’s mass demonstration in Dublin.
Ictu General Secretary David Begg said that the three year stability agreement that it wished to negotiate would be based around its own ten point social solidarity plan.
He said that Congress was not seeking the full abolition of the controversial pension levy but its amelioration to make if fairer for lower paid workers.
Tonight the business lobby group, Ibec said it is “disappointed” on the decision by the Ictu to ballot for a one-day national stoppage.
Director General of Ibec Turlough O’Sullivan said the decision “will undermine the national interest at a time when we should be working together to restore confidence in the eyes of the international investment community.”
