Mayo TD voices support for striking public sector workers
MAYO Aontú TD Paul Lawless will not cross the picket line outside Leinster House tomorrow, in solidarity with the public sector workers on strike this week.
Speaking today, Deputy Lawless said: "The funds set aside in the budget for a public sector pay rise were nowhere near what is needed. The government's attitude to these workers is a significant slap in the face - offering them a pot of money which wouldn't go anywhere close to matching the inflation rate.
“These people are the backbone of our country. They have been forced to strike as a result of the government's refusal to make a commitment around the rate of inflation. These workers are suffering from the cost-of-living crisis, the cost of travel, high energy costs and indeed the price of groceries. It is a very basic ask that incomes would be increased at pace with the cost-of-living crisis.
“Why the government think this is unreasonable is hard to fathom. When the government refuse to match inflation, it effectively means a pay cut - the money in this year's paycheck is of less value to the money in last year's. The government said before the budget that there would be €2 billion made available in the budget for these negotiations and suddenly this was reduced to €1.3 billion.”
He continued: "Nurses working on our overcrowded and understaffed hospital wards deserve better than this. The government should be on their knees thanking them for the incredible work they do.
“In schools, our class sizes are increasing, our prisons are overcrowded. The people working in these settings are being asked repeatedly to do more work for what is basically less pay, when inflation is factored in.
“There are at least 7,000 Irish medical professionals registered in Australia alone. We are operating in an international recruitment market.
“If the government does not compete on pay, terms and conditions we will not be able to staff key services.”
Deputy Lawless added: "A lot of the economic pressure being felt by workers is a result of the government's policies. When nurses, teachers and gardaí cannot afford to buy or rent homes in the areas in which they work, it stands to reasons that there will be wage pressures.
“Government failure in the housing sector is one of the main drivers in wage inflation in Ireland. Fuel and energy inflation has added 1.1% to Ireland's general inflation rate. The government presides over the highest electricity prices in the whole of the EU. Fort-five per cent of the price of a litre of petrol is government tax.
“Aontú has long called for reforms in public service. Senior high-paid civil servants earning above €100,000 should have their salaries linked to performance. The HSE is management-heavy and really needs to invest more in the frontlines.
“These reforms can happen simultaneously to a negotiated agreement that makes sure that front line staff can afford to live in this country. It is not one or the other - the government should do both.”