Online meeting also hears demands for FEMPI to be scrapped
January 20th: Unite public sector representatives met online last night to discuss the proposed public sector agreement, Building Momentum. The meeting decided not to issue a recommendation prior to putting the agreement to a ballot of members, the result of which will be known on Friday February 12th. Unite will then cast its votes at the ICTU Public Service Committee’s aggregate ballot on Monday February 15th.
In addition to discussing the proposed public sector agreement, representatives reflected the strong view of members that unions should press for FEMPI to be repealed as a priority.
Speaking this morning, Unite Regional Coordinating Officer Richie Browne said:
“Unite has opposed FEMPI since its initial introduction. Today, most of its provisions have been unwound. If FEMPI were repealed tomorrow, all other industrial relations agreements would still stand.
The only purpose of FEMPI is as a coercive instrument which the Government can hold over the heads of public sector workers.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital contribution of workers throughout the public sector. The Government should now acknowledge that contribution by immediately moving to abolish FEMPI”, Mr Browne concluded.
Unite the Union, Ireland Region 
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