Pension levy cut a 'likely option' for public sector
The pension levy looks set to be high on the agenda at public sector pay talks when they start this week.
Siptu President Jack O'Connor has called for it to be abolished, and Government sources have told the Irish Independent today that cutting it is a "likely option for them", because it would mean an instant rise in take-home pay.
The Unite trade union is among those calling for the restoration of pay to pre-recession levels.
Regional Secretary Jimmy Kelly says demands for an increase in pay, as well as the levy issue must be addressed.
He said: "We would say that that should be a flat-rate increase across the board rather than percentage rises which help the higher paid against the lower paid.
"Obviously then the pension levy has to be part of any agreement, because when you combine the pay cuts with the pension levy, there was between 14% and 20% of effective cuts on the workers in the public sector."
