asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will outline the Government's proposals for pay increases in the public service.
Written Answers. - Public Service Pay.
20.
A package of proposals relating to the 25th Round and other related matters emerged last January and these proposals were subsequently offered to unions in all areas of the public service.
The package consisted of two main elements
—proposals for the 25th Round increases and a frame work for dealing with special pay increases.
The standard terms for the 25th Round were as follows: An 18 month agreement beginning on 1 January 1986 and ending on 30 June 1987:
a four month pay pause
an increase of 3 per cent from 1 May 1986
an increase of 2 per cent from 1 January 1987
an increase of 2 per cent from 1 May 1987.
The main elements of the framework for dealing with special pay increases consisted of the following:
Clause 3.2: Claims in respect of which adjudication hearings had taken place prior to 1 January 1986 may be implemented as follows:
(a) One-third of the relevant increase may be paid from 1 December 1986
(b) a further one-third of the relevant increase may be paid from 1 December 1987
(c) the remaining balance outstanding may be paid from 1 July 1988.
Clause 3.3: Claims other than those in Clause 3.2 above may be processed and may be implemented as follows:
(a) One-third of the relevant increase may be paid from a date not earlier than 1 December 1987
(b) a further one-third of the relevant increase may be paid from a date not earlier than 1 December 1988
(c) the remaining balance outstanding may be paid from a date not earlier than 1 July 1989.
With a small number of exceptions, these terms have now been accepted by the public service unions. I might add that the standard terms were varied in the case of manual workers in local authorities, health boards and certain other areas of the public service, the major change being increases of £5 per week from 1 May 1986 and £6 per week from 16 February 1987, instead of the 3 percentage increases I mentioned earlier.
In all cases, however, the duration of the agreement is 18 months and the agreement is to expire on 30 June 1987.
The Government statement of 18 September 1986 sets out their approach to pay — both in the private and public sectors — over the period subsequent to the expiry of current agreements. In essence, the Government's view is that subsequent increases should be below the annual rate of inflation and, where appropriate, agreements should include a pay pause.
21.
asked the Minister for the Public Service the number of jobs lost as a result of public service pay increases in excess of the rate of inflation since 1970.
I believe that pay moderation is absolutely necessary to the protection and expansion of employment. However, I do not have information available which would allow me to comment on the number of jobs which have been lost in the economy as a whole between 1970 and 1986 as a result of pay increases greater than the rate of inflation which occurred in both the public and private sectors.
22.
asked the Minister for the Public Service the present position in relation to the 25th round; the groups of public servants which have accepted the terms negotiated; and if he will give a comprehensive report on those, if any, that have not as yet accepted the terms and an updated report on the negotiations, if any, taking place with the representative bodies/unions on the 25th round.
I am happy to be able to inform the House that, with a small number of exceptions, 25th Pay Round terms have now been agreed for all public service groups. Some public service groups, such as the teachers, the gardaí and the greater part of the Civil Service, accepted the terms some time ago and have already been paid the 3 per cent increase due from 1 May last. Other groups have not yet been paid the increase because of delays in processing their claims but are expected to be paid this 3 per cent increase in the coming weeks.
The main exception arises in the case of craftsmen employed in the public service. The current position with regard to this group is that the public service package has been offered to the unions representing craftsmen employed in the local authorities and health services. It is understood that the unions are conducting a ballot of their members on the offer. Craftsmen in Government Departments, educational institutions and noncommercial State-sponsored bodies who are on the same national rate will be offered a similar agreement.