Public service calls for reform of benchmarking

THE Government is to be told by the public service that the benchmarking process is a “damaged product” that it will not take part in unless it is radically reformed.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions Public Services Committee met in Dublin yesterday to discuss last month’s benchmarking pay review, which gave nothing to most public sector employees. Less than 11,000 of the country’s 300,000 public sector workers received increases from the benchmarking body.

The committee reached the conclusion that public sector unions will engage with the national talks process when it commences at the end of March or beginning of April.