Congress leader attacks misuse of sick pay schemes

The general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), Peter Cassells, attacked the "misuse" of sick pay schemes as a form of industrial action in a letter to ICTU-affiliated unions in November 1998.

In a reference to bouts of unofficial industrial action by rank-and-file police officers (during the spring of 1998 - IE9808256N) and by train drivers (on 24 November 1998), the general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), Peter Cassells, recently attacked the abuse of sick pay schemes as a form of industrial action. In the cases referred to, workers took concerted sick leave as a form of strike action. Mr Cassells made his comments in a letter to all ICTU-affiliated unions in the Republic of Ireland on November 30, 1998. His remarks reflect considerable anger on the part of union leaders on the national executive of Congress. Mr Cassells' letter reads as follows:

Recent developments involving union members taking sick leave as a means of pursuing an industrial relations issue is a case of concern to Congress.

There are two main reasons why this misuse of a sick pay scheme is unacceptable and should not be repeated.

Firstly, these schemes which are now part of working conditions for workers in many employments were only secured after years of campaigning, agitation and, in some cases, great sacrifices by unions and their members. Unions are still campaigning to win decent sickness payment agreements for thousands of workers who do not have adequate schemes. Abuse of existing schemes runs contrary to the spirit which motivates our campaign and weakens the case for their extension.

Secondly, if"sick leave"were to become a tool to be used and abused as another form of industrial action it would undermine the moral authority of unions and damage our credibility, both with our own members and the public at large.

The matter will be considered by the executive council of Congress at its next meeting in December. In the meantime, I would be grateful if you would bring our concerns to the attention of appropriate members and officials of your union.

Congress leaders are concerned that such unofficial action undermines the authority of the more established unions, which are attempting to dampen down the pay expectations of their own members. These rising expectations have been engendered by some of the above-average increases secured by groups who threatened or engaged in industrial action during 1998, such as nurses and craftworkers (IE9812266F). Meanwhile, those who have engaged in unusual forms of unofficial action - such as the rank-and file members of the police force - have added to pay pressures on Ireland's current three-year national agreement, Partnership 2000 (IE9702103F).