McCreevy wants a return for benchmarking rises

FINANCE MINISTER Charlie McCreevy will warn unions this morning that he wants a return for his money before paying out any more benchmarking wage rises.

The minister will make it clear that benchmarking is not just an ATM machine handing out €1.2 billion in pay rises to public sector workers, according to government sources.

Public service employees will have to deliver on their modernisation and industrial peace promises to get the entire nine percent pay rise, he will tell union chiefs.