Unions and employers back national pay deal

TRADE unions and employers yesterday gave the thumbs up to a new national partnership agreement which includes a 10% pay rise over 27 months.

By 242 votes to 84, over 50 unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) ratified the Toward 2016 deal. Shortly afterward, IBEC said its members had also accepted the agreement’s terms.

ICTU represents close to 650,000 workers.