A decision by the Department of Finance will mean lower-paid Government workers are facing a higher-percentage cut in their wages than some top civil servants following December's Budget.
The Civil Public Services Union, representing lower-paid civil servants, has described the move as 'unacceptable'.
According to last month's Budget, public servants would face pay cuts on average of between 5% and 8% - with those on higher salaries seeing their pay reduced proportionately more than people on lower pay.
However, just before Christmas, the Department of Finance issued a circular revealing that the basic pay of Ireland's third highest ranking civil servants - 150 assistant secretaries - will be reduced by as little as 3%.
This is because their pay cuts are being calculated on the basis of figures that include a bonus scheme that has already been scrapped.
It means that cleaners working in Government departments are facing proportionately higher wage cuts at 5%.
CPSU chief executive Blair Horan said there was a great deal of anger about this.
He said it was an unacceptable and extraordinary decision, which was 'very unfair.'
