The public sector union leaders must be cringing at today’s media reports. The Irish Independent describes how many workers and families took advantage of the one day work stoppage to catch up on cheap Christmas shopping. The sub editors captured the mood with the headline, “Strike for the Border as Shoppers flee North.”
With over 400,000 people unemployed in the country, it is difficult to see how even the most creative public relations tactics can now turn around the public mood in support of a public sector which disrupts vital services to strike, or shop.
A separate question arises as to why the Department of Finance couldn’t adjust the VAT rates here, even on a temporary basis to support domestic retailers, as was done in the UK last year. From a PR perspective such a move may have had the double effect of improving public support for this beleagured Government and, more importantly for domestic retailers, improving consumer spending.
Between the Public Sector union activity and Irish Vat rates, Northern retailers, benefitting from the law of unexpected consequences, emerged the clear winner from yesterdays nationwide stoppage. They will probably be watching the ongoing talks wondering if they can expect a repeat on December 3rd.