Fórsa strike to affect public services across Westmeath

Public and civil service union workers across Westmeath will converge on the Department of Education and Youth in Athlone tomorrow to participate in the regional picket. A total of 2,152 Fórsa trade union members from across the country will be taking industrial action to highlight their concerns in advance of pay talks.

Across Ireland more than 100,000 Fórsa trade union members are set to take part in the 24-hour nationwide strike tomorrow (Wednesday, October 14) as the dispute over public service pay and the rising cost of living continues.

The industrial action will involve workers across more than 7,000 workplace locations, including local authorities, health and welfare services, education, Government departments and State agencies.

The stoppage is expected to affect a range of public services in Westmeath, including local authority operations and libraries, with disruption also anticipated across other sectors represented by the union.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said members were taking action because of mounting financial pressures and what the union considers an inadequate response from Government to the impact of inflation on public service workers.

“Across the country our members work in jobs that form the very fabric of our country,” Mr Callinan said, “Tomorrow, instead of going to work as normal, they will withdraw their labour as part of a nationwide strike.”

Mr Callinan criticised a late intervention by Minister Jack Chambers, saying it had failed to bring forward any new proposals to resolve the dispute.

“Our members don’t take industrial action lightly. They are prepared to take the strongest stand they can, at great personal cost, to drive home to government how severe the cost-of-living crisis is,” the Fórsa general secretary said.

The union argues that the Government’s Budget 2027 allocation of €1.2 billion for public service pay will not adequately protect workers’ living standards. Mr Callinan said the allocation would, at best, allow for a 2.5% increase next year once pension and carryover costs from the previous agreement are taken into account.

He pointed to recent Central Statistics Office figures showing inflation running at 4.1%, arguing that the proposed increase would represent a real-terms pay cut.

“People are struggling with the fundamentals necessary for a decent life. Putting food on the table, heating their homes, trying to make ends meet,” he said.

Fórsa is seeking an increase for the second half of this year, assurances that living standards will be protected throughout the next pay agreement, and measures to address inflation of more than 5% between 2021 and 2025.

Mr Callinan said workers providing essential public services deserved a response that recognised the financial pressures facing them.

He also praised the efforts of local union branches in organising the stoppage, saying the participation of workers across thousands of locations would send a strong message to Government.

The strike is scheduled to begin at midnight on Wednesday and continue for 24 hours.