Public sector workers have voted for industrial action because they are inspired by this spring’s fuel protest, SIPTU has said. 

Members employed in health, local government and State agencies were balloted on their support for industrial action, with 98% in favour; while a further 97% endorsed strike action. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary Adrian Kane said the union had received a “huge mandate” from members because of the “failure” of the Government to present the public service group of unions with a new pay proposal. 

“There's thousands of people trying to get to work today and in terms of the cost of living crisis, they're worried about what energy bills are going to be that they're facing coming into the winter,” he explained. 

“This Government is making political decisions, by and large, on the hoof, with regard to interest groups that shout the loudest. 

“Our people are acutely aware of what happened last April and last May and decisions made on the foot of that. 

“So, you can hardly blame people who are on modest enough incomes - the type of people the SIPTU represent across the public sector - that they would decide that they have to stand up to make sure that they're going to get some.”

Th fuel protest in Dublin. Picture by: Leah Farrell/ RollingNews.ie.

Mr Kane also noted that sustained campaigning and lobbying by the hospitality industry resulted in a VAT cut for the sector earlier this year. 

“Well, I think you'd be a little bit naive not to be watching what's taken place in society and looking at a Government making political decisions in the face of pressure that comes under from different interest groups,” he argued. 

“So, nothing happens in a vacuum, our people are acutely aware of that and they have given us a huge mandate to take strike action on industrial action.”

Mr Kane continued that the vote for industrial action is a “mess entirely of the Government's making”. 

“All we're about is we're trying to get a reasonable increase for our members across the public service - that's what we deliver in the private sector,” he said. 

“But we've had to take this action because of the inaction of the Government on foot of trying to have a success or agreement to the current public service agreement.”

Main image: A split of a ballot paper and a fuel protest. Pictures by: Alamy and Rolling News.ie.