Government faces demands for State payments of over €450 per week for workers hit by US tariffs
He was speaking after Ictu and Ibec sent a letter to Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary seeking a 'higher new scheme rate' for those facing temporary lay-off or short time working.
The new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit (JPRB) is capped at €450 a week.
'If we want to protect high skilled jobs, we need to keep people connected to employment, as close enough to the rate of pay as possible,' said Mr Reidy.
'If we don't do that, these people will move to other industries and sectors and those skill sets will be lost.'
He said a 'bespoke' benefit is necessary for staff in the pharma and food and drinks sector.
An Ibec spokesperson said the new JPRB scheme should be amended to support those experiencing short-time working at a higher new scheme rate.
She said training should also be facilitated from day one of unemployment.
However, she said the business organisation is not seeking an increase in the €450 cap for the new JPRB scheme for individuals who are made redundant.
'However, for employees who are placed on short-time working the social protection payment has remained as a flat rate payment irrespective of earnings,' she said.
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Meanwhile, a senior Siptu official said Donald Trump's tariff threat will have an impact on future film productions by US companies in Ireland even if he does not carry through on it.
He called for an Irish film industry stakeholder meeting in light of the US president's threat to implement major tariffs on foreign films.
Siptu sector organiser, Robbie Purfield, said the film and TV industry supports a large number of jobs in Ireland.
He said stakeholders within the industry must discuss a unified approach to what is a threat to 'all our livelihoods'.
Mr Purfield said the US market is perhaps more important to the industry in Ireland than it is to any other country due to our 'cultural affinity and shared language'.
'As the union which organises film crew throughout Ireland, Siptu wishes to discuss with producers, government agencies and others in the artistic sector how best we can protect our world renowned industry from what will hopefully just be a short term shock,' he said.
Irish Equity president, Gerry O'Brien, said the industry is a global one and US productions need international markets and revenues to survive. 'This will affect the livelihoods of thousands of performers and crew across the globe and lead to a slowdown in production here,' he said.
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