Public servants who are members of the Fórsa trade union have threatened strike action unless their working day is shortened, or they are given a 5% pay rise.
During the economic crisis, they were required to work an extra 27 minutes a day unpaid under the Haddington Road Agreement.
For civil servants, the working week rose from 34 hours 45 minutes to 37 hours.
Delegates at the Fórsa annual conference in Killarney have backed a motion calling on the union to enter negotiations with Government officials to secure a return to the pre-austerity shorter working week.
They said they either wanted their time back, or to be paid for that time.
However, in a report to the conference, the Fórsa leadership said the Government is adamant that the longer hours will not be reversed.
Delegates representing public servants are also demanding a scheme to give workers extra time off in the two years before they retire in order to "transition" to life outside the workforce.
A motion seeking such a scheme was remitted, meaning it was neither accepted not rejected, but will be considered further by the leadership.
A separate motion calling for the introduction of a "metropolitan weighting" allowance to compensate for the higher cost of living in cities was rejected at the conference.
Fórsa calls for employers to contribute more to pensions
Employers should contribute twice as much as workers to any future compulsory pension scheme, according to the Fórsa trade union.
In order to boost provision for workers in retirement, the Government is considering the introduction of compulsory or "auto-enrolment" occupational schemes for all workers from 2020, which would be funded though contributions from employees, employers and the state.
Speaking at the union's conference, Fórsa National Secretary Billy Hannigan noted that up to 60% of private sector workers in Ireland have no occupational pension coverage at all, and too many workers, particularly women, were staring at poverty in old age.
He told delegates that Ireland was one of only two Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries with no mandatory earnings-related pillar to top up the state pension.
However, he said international evidence showed that auto-enrolment would significantly enhance occupational pension coverage.
He said Fórsa would welcome the proposed system, which would provide mandatory pension entitlements for all workers, but stressed that the employer would have to contribute twice as much as the employee.
He noted that since the 1990s many employers, including very profitable ones, had walked away from their pension responsibilities.
He said this had created a new norm where the full burden of providing an income for citizens in their later years, fell solely on the state and workers themselves.
He said it was imperative that business should make its contribution.
The Fórsa conference passed a motion calling for mandatory employment-based pension provision for all workers not currently covered by occupational pension schemes, regardless of whether they work in the public, private, semi-state, or voluntary and community sector.
The motion stresses that the proposed auto-enrolment should not interfere with pre-existing, more favorable schemes, and should be managed by the Revenue Commissioners, to avoid excessive fees to pension providers.
Fórsa says that any right to opt out must be time-limited to guard against employers encouraging staff to opt-out in order to minimise their own contributions.
It urges state support through tax relief for the worker, or by direct contributions.
Fórsa wants pension fund investments coordinated by the National Treasury Management Agency, contributions collected through the PRSI system, and a state-backed annuity scheme when pensions fall due for payment.
Employers group Ibec has declined to comment on the call by Fórsa for employers to contribute twice as much as workers to any future auto-enrolment pension scheme.
The small and medium enterprises group ISME said that, in general, it favoured auto-enrolment, but cautioned against imposing excessive costs on employers.
Chief Executive Officer Neil McDonnell noted that the Department of Social Protection pension deficit was as big as the national debt and the deficit in public sector pensions combined.
He said that while Ireland's social fund contributions were low by international comparison, the country's social spend was high, and that Ireland was a high wage economy.
He said employers must not be saddled with excessive cost, particularly at the lower end.
Fórsa stops short of favouring repeal of Eighth Amendment
The Fórsa trade union has stopped short of adopting a position in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment, following an emotional and heated debate at its conference in Killarney.
Speakers in favour of repeal called for women to be allowed to receive safe treatment in their own country - while those opposing repeal warned of the introduction of abortion on demand.
Appealing for a vote supporting repeal, delegate Adam Egan broke down in tears as he spoke of the death of his baby daughter at 37 weeks.
He said he was grateful that his grief had not been prolonged by the "obscenity" of having to transport his daughter back from another country - and said women should never have to make unnecessary journeys in such circumstances.
Francis McHugh, who is voting No, told delegates that in the UK, 98% of 190,000 abortions a year were taxpayer funded, depriving the NHS of money for proper cancer care, screening, pain relief and treatment.
Delegates shouted "shame" when he said that rapists had brought their pregnant victims to abortion clinics too, "as their sick minds see it, get rid of the evidence".
A number of speakers queried whether it was appropriate for the union to adopt a policy on such a complex issue of conscience.
Michael Greenan told delegates his own branch had not conducted a survey or vote that would permit them to come to the conference and reflect the wishes of members - adding that he did not think any branch was in a position to do that.
He also queried how, if the vote went one way or the other, the union could force members to vote against their personal wishes.
Delegate James Kavanagh was cheered when he said issues like the Eighth Amendment were very important, fundamental issues - but were not the core business of Fórsa.
The three motions were remitted to the executive, meaning that the union and its members go into the referendum with no formal policy on the Eighth Amendment.
