The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has criticised proposals by the Minister for Social Protection to restrict the right to strike in essential services if he becomes taoiseach.
Leo Varadkar said yesterday that once a Labour Court ruling had been issued in an essential services dispute, the ruling should be binding on both parties and strikes from that point on would be prohibited.
He said it would be for the Oireachtas to determine which groups would constitute essential services who would be covered by the proposed legislative restriction.
The AGSI said it was disappointed by Mr Varadkar's comments at what they called a sensitive time during talks on a new public service pay deal.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has already warned that any such proposals will meet strong resistance from workers and unions and will not be accepted.
General Secretary Patricia King said given that the right to strike is so fundamental to democratic societies and is recognised as such at an international level, any attack on that could see Ireland in breach of a range of international obligations and treaties governing such freedoms.
Yesterday, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation General Secretary Liam Doran also queried whether the proposals could be delivered.
He asked what the Government could realistically do if members decided to reject a Labour Court recommendation asking whether it would seek to penalise 40,000 members such as nurses.
Meanwhile, National Bus and Rail Union General Secretary Dermot O'Leary described the plan as "populist bluster".
On the second day of the pay talks, management and unions are breaking into smaller groups to address specific issues.
It is understood that the agenda for today includes outsourcing, rosters, contracts of indefinite duration and standardising pay cycles so that workers would move from weekly to forntightly payment.
None of those modules is expected to conclude today.
Yesterday, the official side presented a series of productivity and reform demands that they would be seeking in exchange for any potential pay rises.
They include more outsourcing of services to the private sector.
Saturday would become a standard working day attracting no premium payments, and the radius for redeployment would increase from 45km to 60km.
Also on the management wish list are reviews of working patterns and rostering, as well as time and attendance systems.
They are also proposing enhanced performance management and accountability.
Unions have prioritised rapid restoration of all austerity pay cuts and the preservation of pension benefits.
Representatives are also coming under pressure to seek the abolition of the additional unpaid two hours per week imposed during the economic crisis, though the Government has consistently stated that such reforms are here to stay.
