Tens of thousands of public sector workers have voted for industrial action - what's going on?
Major Irish trade unions Siptu and Fórsa have voted for industrial action following stalled pay negotiations and concerns over AI-driven outsourcing. The unions are seeking multi-year pay deals to address cost-of-living pressures and job security.
Why it matters
Widespread industrial action in the public sector could significantly disrupt essential services across Ireland and sets a precedent for how labor unions address AI-related job displacement.
MONDAY SAW AN overwhelming majority of members at trade union Siptu vote for industrial action , and they have been joined on Tuesday afternoon by roughly 100,000 more public service workers in Fórsa.
So, why are Ireland’s major unions and their members planning industrial action?
The anger centres around stalled attempts to secure a new pay deal for approximately 400,000 public sector workers against the backdrop of cost-of-living pressures.
It also partly stems from a new battleground that is emerging around outsourcing caused by the use of AI at work.
Temperatures have also been rising among trade union leaders because the pay talks have come on foot of huge government supports for specific sectors: the €510 million fuel supports package following this year’s protests by farmers, agricultural contractors and hauliers.
There was also the similarly priced VAT cut for the hospitality sector, which took effect in July.
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