Government offers 10.5% pay rise to avert 12 November public strike

The reported terms would give more to lower-paid staff through a flat-rate element. There would be a bigger package and increases for lower paid public servants, with some benefitting by up to 17.8%.

According to sources, the offer would include a payment of €1,200 or 2%, whichever is higher, in 2026, bringing pay increases for this year to 4% for public sector workers. The Journal, citing government sources, said Sunday saw a significantly enhanced pay proposal to public sector unions, which government sources argue would offer guaranteed rate increases of 10.5% or 11% cumulatively for every public servant.

Martin said the design was intended to help lower earners while taking account of living costs. Speaking in Co Fermanagh, he said: "We particularly want to prioritise the lower paid as well, but also to be mindful of the impact of inflation, the impact of the cost of living on many, many families, which we acknowledge. But we do think the offer meets those criteria."

The new proposal follows rejection of a lower offer. It is understood unions rejected a Government offer of pay increases worth 7.75% over two and a half years. The previous deal was worth 10.25% over two and a half years. It expired at the end of June, and union leaders have said they are seeking a better deal than that agreement.

Public-sector unions plan to hold a 24-hour strike next Thursday, with rallies rather than workplace pickets as the focus. In a message to members of Forsa on 8 November, general secretary Kevin Callinan described the current process as "very difficult" and said preparations were under way for action.

"Preparations are well under way for a 24-hour work stoppage on Thursday 12 November and rallies to mark the strike action and bring members together," Mr Callinan wrote. As part of Thursday's strike, workers will be encouraged to march in rallies rather than stage pickets outside their workplaces.

There will be eight demonstrations across the country from 12pm to 2pm, with the largest taking place in Dublin. The other rallies will be held in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Sligo, Tullamore and Letterkenny, with the Dublin event expected to draw the largest crowd.

The Dublin action would coincide with major European events in the capital. The demonstrations will coincide with a major meeting of world leaders in the capital as part of Ireland's EU Presidency, and extensive road closures and traffic restrictions will be in place because of the European Summit. Harris said nobody wants to see "further disruption" such as school closures or cancelled hospital appointments, pointing to parents needing to send children to school and patients waiting for appointments.

The current disagreement followed the expiry of the last agreement at the end of June and the failure so far to agree a successor. General Secretary of Forsa and Chair of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' Public Services Committee Kevin Callinan said they are looking for a better deal than the last public sector pay agreement.

To seek a pathway back to substantive talks, both sides have been meeting in turn with a Government-appointed independent group. Meetings with a Government-appointed group chaired by Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Chair Kevin Foley were held for a number of hours this morning and have now been adjourned until tomorrow, RTE reported on 8 November.

The Irish Examiner reported on 7 November that unions had met the Government-appointed group for several hours after a day without engagement, with the Government and unions taking turns to meet the group through the week following an adjournment of pay talks. The independent group, chaired by Workplace Relations Commission chairman Kevin Foley, was put in place to ensure talks can take place, with Owen Reidy representing the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Oonagh Buckley, secretary general of the Department of Environment, as the Government representative.

The Government's handling was criticised on RTE's The Week in Politics. Sinn Fein TD John Brady has said a realistic offer should have been put on the table initially, asking: "Why wasn't that offer put on the table prior to now?" Independent TD Paul Gogarty said "The government took its eye off the ball" on public-sector pay, while Minister of State Marian Harkin said she hopes "cool heads" can resolve the dispute.

Céim a bhfuil súil léi: D’fhéadfadh an méid seo athrú.

Martin on 9 November described the latest proposal as fair and improved. Micheal Martin told reporters today there is “a very fair offer” on the table, arguing that it is a much improved offer for unions. He said the Government wants an agreement but must keep spending sustainable.

"We want to be in a position in the future as well to have a sustainable budget that will allow us to continue to recruit teachers and nurses and special needs assistants, and many more gardai and so forth," Mr Martin said.

Harris said a strike on Thursday was not inevitable and that a window remained for a deal. Speaking in Cork, Tanaiste Simon Harris said that people need to put “less effort into thinking about the strike next week and more effort into resolving the situation”. On RTE's The Week in Politics he added: "We, the Government, have made a substantially revised and improved offer," and asked that everybody works in the hours ahead towards resolution and de-escalation.

Harris also argued the context had changed since unions secured a mandate for action, when no formal offers had been made, and pointed to recent tax cuts due to take effect from January alongside the proposed pay rise. "There needs to be more effort put in today to try and find a resolution than plan a strike," he said, adding when asked whether the deal would stand if strikes proceed that he did not want to say anything that is provocative or escalatory.

Engagement involving the Foley group was due to continue on 9 November to seek a pathway to talks. If there is no agreement, unions have said they will intensify the work-to-rule action already under way and consider further action, with future action potentially taking the form of rolling strikes in individual sectors after 12 November.