The Labour Relations Commission is to intervene in the dispute over public-sector pay cuts, in an effort to avert widespread industrial action.
Kieran Mulvey, chief executive of the LRC, said the national ‘work-to-rule’ due to commence tomorrow could have a severe impact on the economy, and result in gridlock throughout the public sector.
Workers in local authorities, the civil service and the health and education sectors - who are members of the trade union IMPACT - are due to begin industrial action tomorrow.
Speaking on RTE's 'The Week in Politics' programme, Mr Mulvey said he would not allow the Commission to ‘stand by’ as employers and trade unions ‘punch themselves to death’.
Mr Mulvey also said that any legislation that sought to ban strikes in essential services would only lead to an unnecessary argument at this stage.
Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said any talks between the public service unions and management could look to see if there is new way to deal with industrial relations in the service.
She said she could not give an assurance that public workers' pay would not be cut again in future budgets.
The Tánaiste said the Government needed to find around €3 billion in savings next year.
