Vol. 536 No. 4
15 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of increasing industrial unrest and demands for pay increases in the public service, he will consider calling a new conference of the social partners to consider a joint strategy to protect the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. [14303/01]
In the public service all the unions except one of the secondary teachers' unions, ASTI, are taking part in the benchmarking process and no major pay increases have been sought outside of that process. Outside of the teachers' dispute no other major union is taking industrial action in pursuit of a general pay rise.
The benchmarking body is working with the parties to produce its report in June 2002. I do not see the need to amend the pay terms of the PPF for the public service and there are no proposals to ask the parties to change the PPF which was subject of a revision in December 2000.
