Thousands of public service workers to march through Limerick on Thursday
Thousands of public service workers including teachers, hospital staff, Government staff and others are due to go on strike and take part in a rally in Pery Square, Limerick on Thursday, November 12
TENS of thousands of public service workers are set to march through Limerick this Thursday.
A major trade union march and rally will begin at Pery Square at 12 noon on Thursday, November 12, as part of the national work stoppage plans.
The march will go through the city centre before returning to Pery Square for the rally, which will take place until 2pm.
Following on from a day of national strikes in October, public service unions have now called for this further action following intensive negotiations, which failed to resolve the dispute.
The strike and rally will include staff in hospitals and health services, schools, universities, colleges, local authorities, Government departments and Revenue Commissioners.
Fórsa assistant general secretary, Mike McNamara, said: “Workers from across Limerick and the wider Mid-West will come together on November 12 with a very clear message. Public servants want a fair and credible agreement.
“There has been extensive engagement, but we still do not have proposals capable of resolving this dispute. The purpose of the march is to bring workers together and demonstrate the strength behind that demand.”
David Samuels of SIPTU, said: “Public service workers are dealing with the same rising costs as everybody else. They have shown patience throughout this process, but patience has to be matched by a serious attempt to reach an agreement.
“We want to see a negotiated settlement. The Government now needs to put forward a pay proposal that workers can have confidence in.”
TUI representative Shane Curtin added: “Teachers and other public servants across the region have seen the pressure on household incomes continue to grow. They expect a public service agreement that protects their living standards and properly values the work they do.
“Thursday’s march gives workers across different services the opportunity to stand together and make that message visible.”
The participating unions said the Limerick march is being organised collectively and will bring together workers from across the Mid-West and across the public service.