State-funded wage supports, at levels that can sustain individuals and families, must continue in the private and commercial semi-state sector until the Covid-19 virus is under control, according to Fórsa.

Speaking about the future of pay in the private and public sectors at the union’s biennial national conference yesterday (19th November), its general secretary Kevin Callinan also called for Job-creating State investment in infrastructure, climate action, and high-quality public services.

And he said any supports to business should be contingent on supporting employment, which must be linked to decent standards and workers’ rights.

On public service pay, he said a reasonable and acceptable approach to a new public service agreement did not mean ruling out pay improvements.

He said any successor to the current public service pay deal, which expires in less than six weeks’ time, would have to be realistic in the context of an extremely challenging economic and fiscal situation. But he said this didn’t mean ruling out pay improvements over the lifetime of a deal.

“All the economic projections point to a rapid economic and fiscal bounce-back once the Covid situation stabilises, and we have cause to hope that will start to happen in the coming months,” he said.

Kevin told delegates that the increase in private savings during the pandemic pointed to a crisis of confidence at the root of Ireland’s economic difficulties. “This is further evidence of the need for Government to reject an ‘austerity’ approach, which will sap confidence from our economic biosphere.

“If we give people hope, we will also give them confidence to spend and participate in the economy and in their communities. This is the lifeblood that can quickly rejuvenate businesses. It’s the route to rapid employment, economic and fiscal recovery, which must be grasped in all sectors of the economy – public, private and community,” he said.

In a report on recent exploratory talks between unions and senior Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) officials, he said the engagements had intensified significantly over the last ten days.

“It’s still not possible to say with confidence that Fórsa and other unions will be able to put a PSSA successor to ballot in the near future.

But there have been focussed and dedicated sessions on the issues outstanding from the Haddington Road Agreement, the potential shape of a sectoral bargaining element in any new deal, dispute resolution and service stability issues, and modernisation and flexibility,” he said.

Kevin said the prospect of entering 2021 without a public service agreement in place was a huge challenge for the Government and those who depend on the stability, sustainability and quality of public services.