FAQs – National ballot of members working in the civil and public service

Costs keep going up and inflation is wiping out your pay increases.

We need to show the government how much this matters to you. By voting for industrial action, you can show government that public service workers won’t be taken for granted.

By standing together and showing collective strength, you will put your negotiators in a stronger bargaining position for your pay, terms & conditions.

This isn’t just about pay and conditions for public servants; it’s also about decent standards of living and making sure that you and every person in this country has access to quality public services. It’s about taking a stand for you and everyone in your community.

50,000 public service workers showed they want a better deal by signing the pledge. Time and time again you told us that costs were too high and pay was too low, that you want flexible work, and that public services need better investment. The issues in the pledge came from you and your colleagues, and that's what you’re being asked to fight for now.

You and your colleagues said you would only support a new public service agreement that provided pay increases that address the cost of living, resolution of local bargaining claims, a fairer work-life balance, and better investment in public services. The ballot builds on the pledge and shows that Fórsa members are serious about achieving a better deal.

In exploratory talks in June, the Department of Public Expenditure officials, representing the Government, did not convince your union negotiators that your standard of living will be protected in a new agreement.

They want another agreement that guarantees industrial peace, cost certainty for budgetary planning, and wide-ranging cooperation with reform and other changes.

They say everything should be on the table, and we should follow the same approach as before.

In previous negotiations, weeks were spent arguing over text on different topics, and they only put a pay offer at the very end when the pressure is on to conclude a deal.

Between 2021 and 2025, when the last two pay agreements were in place, basic pay increases added up to close to 16% but average annual inflation over the same period was close to 21%. That means that your purchasing power is shrinking in real terms, so you’re working for less.

During this time, inflation has been more than 5% ahead of the salary of a public servant on average earnings. That hits your ability to maintain your standard of living.

The 1% pay increases in February and June have been wiped out by inflation, which was running at 3.6% in May. This is why your union negotiators are fighting for an increase that covers this year.

Yes, but only because we insisted on it in 2020 and in 2023. It’s now accepted that the cost-of-living crisis has hit the lowest paid hardest. In fact, increases in the National Minimum Wage have outstripped the pay of the lowest paid public servants during the same period.

Ministers have made comments in the media about potential tax cuts to benefit workers. Anything they do will apply across the economy, and the first thing they will have to address is their own failure to index tax bands and allowances last year.

Very. You and your colleagues standing together to collectively bargain is the only way for you to achieve fair pay for your work.

The Government is trying to duck its responsibility as an employer to maintain your living standards. That is a political choice. You also have a choice, if you don’t want to let the Government off the hook then vote YES in the ballot.

This was a form of bargaining in the last agreement designed to provide a way of addressing grade issues. The first phase was to be implemented last September, but a majority of groups have still not seen outcomes. Resolving outstanding claims is one of the demands for any agreement.

Important issues, including local bargaining, remote working, outsourcing, and artificial intelligence, also need to be addressed in these talks.

Remote working is under attack from some employers who are pushing workers to increase in-office days, when all the evidence shows that hybrid working is better for workers and employers, in terms of productivity, work-life balance and managing increasing costs.

Your job must be protected from outsourcing, and public services should be delivered by civil and public service workers. A future agreement must include strong protections against outsourcing to ensure maximum delivery of public services by directly employed public service workers.

Unions are also calling for a new social dialogue process that would create a place for negotiations on increased public investment on housing and healthcare.

Finally, the rise of artificial intelligence is rapidly impacting the world of work and unions are seeking protections for workers.

We will not be restricted by an industrial peace clause, so if the majority of members vote in favour of industrial action, we will be free to take whatever action is necessary to resist any change that is being imposed.

At the moment we are in a ‘no deal’ scenario. If this situation continues, you and your colleagues need to be ready to take necessary industrial action.

Your elected leaders from each division of the union who sit on the National Executive unanimously decided to ballot members in the public service.

Their strong recommendation is that you and your colleagues vote in favour of industrial action.

Only if the Government fails to respond positively to your reasonable concerns over protecting your living standards.

There are 19 unions with members working in the public service who are involved in this process. Together they are part of a group called the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

All 19 unions affiliated to the ICTU Public Services Committee are following the same strategy. Other unions are balloting in accordance with their own rules. There has been strong unity among the affiliate unions in recent years.

Four lead negotiators represent the Public Services Committee in the negotiations with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). They are:

• Kevin Callinan, Fórsa general secretary
• John King, SIPTU general secretary
• Phil Ní Sheaghdha, INMO general secretary
• John Boyle, INTO general secretary

An online ballot of 90,000 Fórsa members working in the public service will take place. Voting opens on Tuesday 4^th August and closes on Tuesday 1^st September at midday.

You will receive a Unique Voting Code from Mi-Voice so that you can vote electronically. The other unions are running their own ballots.

• Talk to your colleagues and get involved.
• Make sure your email address is up to date as it will be an online ballot.
• When the ballot opens, vote YES and talk to your colleagues about why they should vote.
• Recruit new members by talking to them about how important it is that they stand with you and your colleagues to maximise your collective strength.
• Share union updates online to make sure everyone is up to date.

If you have any questions, you should contact your local branch or the following email addresses:

• Civil Service cshelp@forsa.ie 
• Education edhelp@forsa.ie 
• Service and Enterprises sehelp@forsa.ie 
• Health and Welfare hwhelp@forsa.ie  
• Local Government & Local Services/ Municipal lghelp@forsa.ie