PUBLIC sector employees across West Cork were among 300,000 nationwide on strike on Wednesday yesterday to say “the ball is in the court of the government of the day and Jack Chambers”.

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Ruth Crowley, assistant general secretary with Forsa trade union and a Bantry native, joined the 200-strong picket line at Bantry General Hospital to support the cause. It’s been 17 years since there was a public sector strike of this scale, at the height of the financial crisis in 2009.

Ruth said the workers have “maintained industrial peace for the last 17 years. They’ve abided by the agreements and the employer at the time hasn’t always abided, and now the cost of living has to be addressed and has to be recognised”.

Ciara Deasy and Brendan McCarthy, teachers from Union Hall National School, were on the picket line from early this morning. Picture: Andy Gibson.

She added that it’s the first time in 40 years a pay agreement has lapsed, saying: “No worker takes strike lightly. It’s a great sacrifice to every individual worker out here, losing a day’s pay, to stand united and together for the government to listen.”

She added that “an investment in public sector workers is an investment in public services”. Ruth highlighted John Finbarr Crowley, workplace leader for Forsa in Bantry General Hospital, who organised with colleagues across West Cork to ensure strong numbers were protesting In Bantry yesterday.

Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG) was on the picket line outside Scoil Naomh Bhríde in Union Hall where he is school principal. He explained the key issues are “pay, first and foremost, and conditions”.

Nursing and support at Clonakilty Community Hospital with their placards during 24-hour strike on Wednesday over delays in agreeing a new public sector pay deal. Photo: Martin Walsh.

“I’m teaching 22 years, this is the second day that I’ve been on strike,” he said.

“So much has changed in the schools in that 17 years,” he said. “The job of a principal, the job of a teacher, has changed so much and I think it’s time that that was recognised by increased pay.”

A show of solidarity from striking public sector workers outside Skibbereen Courthouse on Wednesday.

A huge number of local authority staff were on strike outside Skibbereen Courthouse, with workers coming from Clonakilty and Castletownbere to take part.

Cllr McCarthy said. “I stand with all of them as well, they help me in so many ways in my role.

We’re all at work-to-rule, none of us want to be out here on strike, we’d much rather be at work, in our schools, in our local authority offices, in our hospitals, in our driving test centres, everywhere today.”

Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.