THE State's largest civil service union is expected to announce today an escalation of industrial action against the Government's recruitment embargo.
The executive of the Civil and Public Services Union met yesterday after members voted by eight to one to reject the latest pay offer under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work. Senior union sources indicated existing industrial action, which includes an overtime ban by clerical staff in all Government departments and some semi state bodies, would widen.
Meanwhile, a ballot on industrial action by Impact, which organises workers in the local authorities and health boards, as well as professional and technical staff in the civil service, will be counted today. A majority of members are expected to have voted for action.
As with the CPSU, the anger of Impact members at the embargo is fuelled by lack of progress in pay talks under the PCW. In fact, most of Impact's 27,000 members have yet to begin pay negotiations.