Waterford's place in the country's largest day of strike action in 18 years
Public sector workers in Waterford are set to walk out this Wednesday, October 14, in the biggest day of national strike action in 18 years.
Public sector workers in Waterford are set to walk out this Wednesday, October 14, in the biggest day of national strike action in 18 years.
Over 300,000 public sector workers have begun industrial action in the form of a work-to-rule and will stage a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, disrupting hospitals, schools and public services across the country.
The action spans across almost every corner of the public service, with some union estimates putting the number of workers taking part as high as 400,000.
With the largest coordinated walkout since the aftermath of the financial crash in 2008, and a second strike day already lined up for Wednesday, October 21, if the row is not resolved, people across the country are wondering what this means for them.
In Waterford the action will affect workplaces across the public sector, much as it will across the country, from health services, the local authorities, schools and other public services.
Teachers at primary level, through the INTO, and at second level, through ASTI and TUI, are all taking part in Wednesday’s day of action, alongside university and college staff.
In the wider civil and public service, members of unions including Unite, Forsa, SIPTU and the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants will join the pickets, hitting government offices and services.
Although Unite the Union are not participating in a work-to-rule, members of the union working in the public sector will participate in the 24-hour strike, with Eoin Drummey, a Unite representative for Waterford, saying, “The extent of disruption will depend on the workplace and the arrangements in place to maintain essential services.
“This dispute is about fair pay and the need for meaningful engagement.”
Mr. Drummey told the Waterford News & Star, “The previous Public Service Agreement has expired, there is no meaningful offer on the table for a successor agreement, and the Local Bargaining increase due from 1st September 2025 remains outstanding.
“Our members should not have to continue waiting for commitments on pay to be honoured while the cost of living continues to put significant pressure on workers and household incomes.
“Our members deliver essential public services every day, including in our hospitals, community services, and local authorities. We have engaged with the HSE on the arrangements necessary to protect patient safety and maintain essential services during the action.
“We do not take strike action lightly. The responsibility now rests with Government to engage seriously with the unions, address the outstanding pay issues and put forward a credible offer that can resolve this dispute.”
In a recent statement, the HSE confirmed that there will be “significant and widespread disruption to many HSE services” across the country on Wednesday, with around 11,000 workers at 30 hospitals due to strike.
This includes the cancellation of all non-urgent healthcare services across hospitals and community settings, impacting routine hospital procedures, outpatient appointments, community-based services, clinics in primary care services, and other scheduled care.
HSE administrative services will also be impacted by the work stoppage.
Emergency departments, ambulance services, and other critical, time-sensitive healthcare services will continue, as well as GP and pharmacy services.
“People requiring urgent medical attention should not delay seeking care and dial 999 or 112 or attend their nearest Emergency Department,” the HSE said.
The advice issued on hospital and GP appointments for Wednesday, October 14, is to assume it is not going ahead and to contact your hospital or GP service in advance, as many routine appointments and procedures are being cancelled.
Although emergency and life-saving care is to be maintained under strike exemptions, delays are to be expected.
Primary and secondary schools across the country are expected to close, with pickets outside the gates at most schools, and many universities and colleges facing a full-day shutdown.
This also includes events held at universities, like SETU’s planned Engineering the South East Conference & Expo this week, which has been postponed.
“An event of this magnitude requires extensive coordination, infrastructure and support, and unfortunately, the current circumstances mean it is simply not possible to proceed as planned,” SETU said in a statement to this newspaper.
Government offices and public services are also expected to be badly disrupted, with OPW heritage sites nationwide closed and Leinster House likely to close for the day with no Dáil sitting.
The two Sinn Féin TDs for Waterford, Deputies David Cullinane and Conor McGuinness, have called on Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers to enter negotiations with unions and secure a fair pay deal for public sector workers.
Deputy McGuinness said, “In real terms, these essential workers are getting poorer. This year alone public sector wages will only increase 2%, despite inflation of 3.5%.
“Minister Jack Chambers should be working day-and-night to resolve this dispute, but instead he is refusing to show any interest in securing a deal at all.
“The unions have been clear: this is a dispute about pay first and foremost. Therefore, they want any negotiations to discuss pay upfront.
“Minister Chambers is refusing to acknowledge this and instead insisting every other aspect of the public sector pay agreement must be settled before they move on to pay negotiations.
“It is shameful that the Minister is acting with such unbelievable arrogance. Our teachers, nurses, doctors, civil servants, and Gardaí deserve better than this.”
Deputy Cullinane reiterated Deputy McGuinness’ points, saying, “The Minister may describe ballots as ‘unnecessary’ or action as ‘unfair’, but our public sector workers know the truth: industrial action becomes inevitable when Government refuses to deal with cost-of-living pressures from the outset and fails to engage meaningfully with unions. The Government cannot demand cooperation while refusing to deliver fairness.”
