The Government has warned public servants that any attempt to "piggy-back" on the Garda deal of 9 per cent could set off a spiral of pay claims which would undermine the entire system of national partnership.
As the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Minister for Finance prepare to meet the social partners in Dublin Castle on Tuesday to review the implementation of Partnership 2000, the Government yesterday gave notice that it will strongly resist any attempt to change the terms of the agreement or to reopen deals under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work.
Asked yesterday if he would consider further pay claims from the teachers' unions, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, bluntly replied "No".
The Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union has said it supports the teachers' call and demanded a renegotiation of Partnership 2000.
In a shot across the Government's bows from private sector workers, the Manufacturing, Science and Finance union (MSF) said the quiescence of private sector employees was being taken for granted in the current controversy surrounding the efficiency of Partnership 2000.
According to Mr Jerry Shanahan, the union's deputy national secretary, staff in financial services in particular were being required to undertake major changes arising from competitive pressures and technological investment. These "unprecedented work intensification and rising stress levels" were resulting in minimal reward.
Many employers were resisting paying the minimal 2 per cent available for local application under the agreement, he said.
"If, at this 11th hour, Partnership 2000 is expected to survive, then the review date should be brought forward as a matter of urgency to address these issues with due regard to private sector employees," Mr Shanahan added.
Following its weekly Cabinet meeting, the Government issued a one-page statement firmly rejecting any suggestion that the pay offer to gardai provided any basis for follow-on claims by teachers or other public servants.
The national partnership approach to pay in the public and private sectors had been a significant factor in Ireland's economic success, the statement said. It had contributed in a central way to low inflation, improved international competitiveness and the restoration of order to the public finances.
"Pay increases for public servants beyond the levels agreed in the national programmes inevitably diminish the resources available to the Government to continue to reduce the tax burden on employees generally and to meet other desirable economic and social policy objectives in areas such as health and education," the statement said.
It was in everyone's interests that the few remaining local bargaining cases in the public service to be resolved under the PCW should be concluded as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the terms of Partnership 2000 must be strictly adhered to.
Refusing to contemplate a pay claim from teachers, Mr McCreevy told RTE News at One that it was ironic their unions two years ago had "started this outbreak . . . that led on to the nurses' dispute, that led on to the prison officers, and it has eventually come aground to the gardai.
"Lo and behold, I have Senator Joe O'Toole, from his boat on the Shannon, announcing that he's starting the match again. I hope Joe is getting better weather than we're having here in Dublin, but when he gets back to reality, maybe he'll come in and accept the reality of the situation here back in Dublin," Mr McCreevy said.
It was "quite amazing" that the AT&GWU would think the offer to gardai exceeded the wage agreement.