One of the country’s largest trade unions has put a series of 11 questions to all of the political groups contesting this year’s election, vowing to publish the answers as soon as possible after the election is called.

Public Sector unions say they want a flat rate pay increase to form part of a collective agreement on pay.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said he backs the restoration of public sector pay but only if it does not impact on patients and the taxpayers by taking money from recruitment.

Ahead of this afternoon’s announcement of the Government’s spring statement, public service unions have been setting out their stall as to what they want for their members from a rejuvenated state bank balance.

A senior trade union official says IAG will have to "do a lot" to convince members to back their bid for Aer Lingus.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has called on Aer Lingus cabin crew to call off strike action planned for this weekend.

Aer Lingus cabin crew have voted in favour of industrial action over a row concerning rosters.

Aer Lingus cabin crew at Shannon Airport have voted to accept proposals drawn up at the Labour Relations Commission, resolving a dispute over staffing new transatlantic services.

Further to Noel Baker’s report (‘Delays put children at significant risk: HIQA’, Nov 16, 2013), it is vital to note the HIQA report identifies a lack of resources as a central and significant problem that causes delays and limits services.

Aer Lingus is being threatened with all-out strikes after cabin crew voted in favour of a protest against cutbacks and changes to work shifts.

The cost of sick leave across the public service has dropped by 10% in just three years — except in the civil service, where it has increased by more than 13%.

The Labour Relations Commission has been given until next week to try and negotiate some kind of settlement with unions over the extension to the Croke Park public service pay agreement.

As the Government seeks further cuts to public sector pay, it has emerged that gross week earnings in the sector have fallen by almost six times more than those in the private sector.

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has called on Aer Lingus management and pilots to re-engage in talks aimed at averting strike action at the airline.

Both sides in the Aer Lingus cabin crew roster row are due back at the Labour Relations Commission at 12.30pm this afternoon.

Talks aimed at resolving the rosters row at Aer Lingus will resume this morning at the Labour Relations Commission.

Unions and management at Aer Lingus will begin a fresh rounds of talks today in an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute over new rosters.

Cabin crew at Aer Lingus who continue to refuse to operate new rostering arrangements could lose their jobs.

Aer Lingus cabin crew who have been removed from duties and the payroll are to report for duty en masse this morning.

Twenty cabin crew at Aer Lingus have been removed from the payroll in an ongoing dispute with unions over

Up to 44 cabin crew at Aer Lingus face being taken off the payroll in an ongoing dispute over new rostering arrangements.

Trade Union IMPACT has said 12 cabin crew members at Aer Lingus have been taken off their duties as the row over the introduction of new rosters escalates.

The controversial Croke Park deal on public sector pay and reform will be discussed at the IMPACT biennial conference in Kilkenny over the coming days.

Aer Lingus' radical cost-cutting plan is under the spotlight again this morning as representatives from the airline and IMPACT enter separate talks at the Labour Relations Commission.

EDUCATION Minister Batt O’Keeffe was disingenuous in his assertion (February 1) that “we know from history that an estimate by a trade union should never be accepted as an undisputed fact in a news story”.

STAFF at state-aided voluntary bodies face wage cuts of more than €20 million after the Government told the Health Service Executive to press ahead with the cuts, despite the Tánaiste’s assertion they would not be affected.

ENABLE Ireland has told its staff it has been left in a “critical” financial situation after the Health Service Executive confirmed it was imposing a funding cut in line with the public sector pay cuts announced in the budget.

Aer Lingus is pushing ahead with plans for compulsory redundancies to cut costs by almost €100m.

Unions at Aer Lingus have expressed disappointment over the airline's statement that it intends to seek over 1,000 redundancies following the breakdown of talks.

A TRANSFORMATION bordering on the miraculous by South Liberties in the second half of an exciting Munster Club IHC final at the Mallow GAA complex yesterday powered them past Cork champions Douglas.

Official figures revealing public worker wages were up over the last year have crushed the case against pay cuts in the sector, it was claimed today.

The average public worker’s salary has broken through the €50,000 barrier, it was revealed today.

HEALTH services are to revert to local control in the next 18 months under a massive restructuring of the Health Service Executive.

ROUND-THE-CLOCK social work cover for children at risk and families in crisis is unlikely to be implemented this year due to the slow progress of talks between the HSE and unions and the knock-on effects of the HSE recruitment freeze.

Air traffic controllers could be brought in from other countries to help Ireland's overworked staff, the IMPACT union said today.

AIR traffic controllers in Dublin last night called off their unofficial industrial action, after staff unrest caused delays to 32 flights on Friday.

The trade union Impact has confirmed that a fifth pilot has been suspended by Aer Lingus for refusing to help in the recruitment of new staff for its Belfast base.

LONG-DELAYED plans to introduce 24-hour emergency care for at-risk children won’t be affected by the current recruitment freeze, say HSE bosses.

Aer Lingus management was tonight accused of attempting to blackmail its staff into accepting tough cost-cutting measures.

Ireland’s construction industry today urged the Government to tighten the reins on public pay in an attempt to rescue the housing market.