The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the umbrella body for unions representing a third of Ireland's 2 million-member work force, said its "national day of action" was designed to pressure the government to reduce its budget-cutting plans in favor of running even deeper deficits. But Prime Minister Brian Cowen and senior Cabinet ministers said they wouldn't be deterred.

The government insists its Dec. 9 budget must trim ⁈ion ($6 billion) through layoffs, pay cuts, higher taxes and other cost-cutting reforms.

More than 20,000 workers led by union leaders marched down Dublin's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street, toward the parliament building. The marches in Dublin and seven other cities caused traffic gridlock as Friday rush hour approached.

"We are in a bad, bad space and there is no pain-free way of getting out of it. But there is a better, fairer way of doing so, if the government is just willing to listen," union congress leader David Begg told the Dublin protesters.

"We are confronted with the choice between taking a brutal cut of ⁈ion up front or trying to effect a more gentle adjustment over a longer period," he said. "We know for certain that the first option risks collapsing the economy and is a guarantee of more job losses. Our alternative at least offers the possibility of preserving the social fabric of this society."

Defense Minister Willie O'Dea said the protest, regardless of its size, wouldn't influence the government need to cut spending, a projected deficit of ⁈lion this year, and borrowing at a rate of ⁈llion a week.

"We must bring the public finances back under control before this country goes down the drain," he said.

Union leaders insist many of their workers already are at financial breaking point following the government's imposition earlier this year of new income levies that have cost workers on average 7.2 percent of their salaries. They argue that government layoffs _ in a country already experiencing a 14-year high in unemployment of 12.5 percent _ will increase welfare costs, already the No. 1 part of Ireland's budget.

But the government says it must cut the civil-service payroll, demand more of state-paid employees including police and nurses, and expand income-tax bands so that middle-class earners pay more and a greater number of lower-salaried workers fall into the tax net.

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