More than 300,000 public sector workers will walk off the job on Thursday November 12, the same day around 50 European leaders fly into Dublin for the European Political Community summit.
The 24-hour strike will close primary and secondary schools and third-level colleges, cancel thousands of hospital appointments and wipe out every driving test booked for the day. Gardaí and the Defence Forces will not strike, and public transport is expected to run as normal.
Offer rejected
Unions threw out a Government offer worth 7.75 per cent over two and a half years. It included a 1.75 per cent rise this year, backdated to July, a further 5 per cent across 2027 and 2028, and 1 per cent from local bargaining paid towards the end. The package would have cost the State €3.4 billion.
Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said the offer “fell short on all fronts” after 11 days of talks, while Siptu’s Adrian Kane said it did nothing specific for lower-paid workers. The last public pay deal delivered 10.25 per cent, and unions are refusing to discuss productivity until pay is settled.
Government hits back
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers called the escalation “extremely regrettable” and warned of “significant disruption”. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the offer came on top of “significant tax cuts” and childcare help in the budget, and Tánaiste Simon Harris pleaded: “There’s nine days to go until that EPC. There’s nine days to go until the next strike action. Let’s all work to find a solution.”
Unions deny the strike was moved from Wednesday to Thursday to clash with the summit. Both sides are now meeting an independent panel separately in a last-ditch bid to break the deadlock, and unions say they will ramp up their work-to-rule and consider further action beyond November 12.
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