Tags: Cork, Cork City Council, Fianna Fáil, Impact, Ireland, Mick Barry, politics, Terry Shannon, walk out

Terry Shannon

THE walkout by Fianna Fáil councillors from yesterday’s meeting of Cork County Council and the verbal assault launched on trade unions representing City Hall staff at yesterday’s meeting of Cork City Council were described this morning by Socialist Party councillor Mick Barry as being akin to “kids having a temper tantrum and throwing their toys out of the pram”.

Fianna Fáil councillors walked out of yesterday’s Cork County Council meeting for two hours in protest at IMPACT’s decision to boycott some dealings with representatives of the government parties which have cut their pay by 15-19 per cent in the last year.

Meanwhile, leader of the Fianna Fáil group in Cork City Council, Cllr Terry Shannon described the union action as “undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional” adding that the instruction had come from “well-paid and well-heeled union bosses who are completely out of touch with their own members”. The unions were “trying to politicise the public service” and needed to “cop themselves on,” he said.

However, Cllr Barry said this morning, “Fianna Fáil underestimated the ordinary public servant if they thought they could cut their pay by 15-19 per cent and that there would be no consequence for them. The ordinary public servants are standing up to the bullyboys and the bullyboys don’t like it one little bit”.

Cllr Barry added that he would fully support stronger forms of industrial action by public service staff to reverse the pay cuts and stated his belief that nationwide escalating strike action would be necessary to defeat the Government on the issue.