700 CPSU workers strike

700 CPSU workers strike hits offices


Anton McNulty

OVER 700 members of the CPSU in Mayo took part in the day long national strike last Thursday which affected social welfare offices and government buildings throughout the country.
The Civil, Public and Services Union (CPSU) who represent lower-paid civil servants called the strike after 85 per cent of its members voted in favour of industrial action. They were the first public sector union to go on strike which closed revenue and social welfare public offices and pickets also took place outside the Department of the Environment building, the Road Safety Authority, FÁS and Garda stations.
Mr Derek Mullen, of the CPSU in Mayo told The Mayo News that the support the CPSU workers received from the general public put paid to any perceived division between the public and private sector workers. He said that clerical staff worker in social welfare offices earn on average €30,000 per annum and claimed the pension levy was not equitable when compared to someone of €60,000.
“We got a very good reaction from the public and all our members reported getting good support throughout the day. That proved a point that there isn’t a divide between the public and private sector, which was very much media driven.
The ICTU is calling for a strike on March 30 which will affect workers right across the board. This is not just about the levy, this is an unemployment crisis and we have to come up with a fairer tax system” he said.
As well as the one day strike, the CPSU are also planning a work to rule action from March 9 and would continue industrial action until there is talks with the Government.
Pickets took place all across the county and councillors from the Belmullet Electoral Area Committee had to cross a picket at the entrance to the Belmullet Civic Centre to attend a meeting. Workers at the picket who included staff from the social welfare offices and clerical staff from the Garda Station said the levy was unjust to workers in their wage bracket. One worker told The Mayo News that she has worked for 36 years in the public service earning €36,000 and will now have to pay an extra 6.5 per cent pension levy, which she says will not benefit her or others in her wage bracket.