The Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill has been described by the TUI as an oppressive attempt to coerce compliance with a national agreement. The Union has contacted the Education and Public Expenditure and Reform spokespersons of the main Opposition parties as well as other political party and independent representatives to seek to have amendments to the Bill tabled.
We thank those TUI members who have already contacted their representatives and ask that those who have not to consider doing so. We have set a short sample text out below that can be adapted for an email or letter to lobby politicians. We ask that as many of you as possible contact your local representatives.
Generally, the email address of public representatives take the format firstname.secondname@oireachtas.ie (eg jane.bloggs@oireachtas.ie)
Draft text:
Dear Representative,
As a teacher/lecturer, I am requesting that you, as a public representative in my constituency, seek amendments to the Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill 2017 to remove the unacceptable threats it contains.
This Bill represents an oppressive effort by Government to coerce compliance with a national agreement, that, in its current form, leaves a gross injustice intact in terms of a continuing regime of pay inequality for those who entered the profession since 1st January 2011.
The three main teacher unions have voted against the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) in national ballots. The main reason in each case was that acceptance of the agreement would halt progress in the campaign for pay equality for a further three years.
The punitive, draconian consequences for members of unions not covered by the Agreement mapped out in the Bill are disproportionate and unprecedented.
They include:
- a freeze on increments for three years and
- a nine- month delay of pay restoration measures.
These threats would have the most severe effect on the same new and recent entrants to the public service who have suffered discrimination and pay inequality by virtue simply of the date that they commenced their public service employment.
As my local representative, I urge you to reject the oppressive approach set out in the Bill and urge that you seek amendments that remove these unacceptable threats.
Yours sincerely,
Insert Name