Public service pay deal close to collapse

THE public service pay agreement is on the verge of collapse after the executive of the country’s largest solely public service union refused to back it.

IMPACT, the trade union that commentators had considered most likely to back the deal, last night stopped short of recommending an outright rejection to its 55,000 members. However, it is understood the executive will proceed with that recommendation after they reconvene next week.

The decision is in spite of the fact that IMPACT’s own general secretary, Peter McLoone, lead the trade union movement’s negotiating team in the talks with the Government last week.