New nationwide strike confirmed for December 3
24/11/2009 - 16:18:54Public-sector workers will stage a second nationwide strike on December 3, it has been confirmed.
The action will go ahead if renewed talks with the Government on plans to cut the public pay bill by €1.3bn fail to produce an agreement, unions have said.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions made the announcement in the last hour.
Talks between unions and the Government will resume tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach has warned striking public servants that their action will not dictate Government decisions.
A quarter of a million Government workers have downed tools today in a row over cutting the public sector pay bill.
Brian Cowen says strikes will not effect any decisions the Cabinet has to make.
"It’s not a question of what dates are set for strikes that will dictate the Government’s position here," said Cowen.
"It’s the objective merits of the situation require that we proceed and to do so, as I said, on an agreed basis is preferable, once we meet the objectives of what we’re talking about and I think that everyone recognises that the financial situation of the country is such that those objectives have to be met."
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