ICTU accepts Croke Park deal by 2-1 majority

THE public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has voted by a two-to-one majority to accept the terms of the Croke Park deal on public service pay and reform.

Following the result, committee chairman Peter McLoone called for immediate meetings with Government and senior public service management to start the process of implementing a deal that will lead to a radical reduction in the 300,000 state employees and a transformation of the public services.

In exchange, public servants have a guarantee of no pay cuts before at least 2014, and no compulsory redundancies. Furthermore, if sufficient verifiable savings are made through the reform agenda, the Government has said it will restore pay grades cut in the last budget, starting with those earning less than €35,000.