Public-sector union leader rejects talk of pay cuts
The Civil and Public Service Union (CPSU) says its members will not accept any pay cuts in the upcoming Budget.
It follows publication of a private and confidential letter from the head of the Impact union, Peter McLoone, warning that a deal with the Government to avoid pay cuts will result in public sector job losses in the next few years.
In it, he expresses his opinion that the alternative to pay cuts is likely to be a 'significant reduction in public service numbers' over the next three to four years.
He also admits that the Government is not likely to increase taxes to make up the shortfall in exchequer funding as advocated by the unions.
CPSU general secretary Blair Horan disagrees with Peter McLoone's stance.
"I'll be surprised if the Government ultimately goes down the road of having some voluntary redundancy programme" he said.
"Because I think the reality would be that it would take jobs out and pay to take them out in the short term and end up down the line having to replace them."
