INMO recommends acceptance of pay deal

There was mixed news for the Haddington Road deal yesterday, with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation recommending that it be accepted, and the union representing low- paid civil servants saying it should be rejected.

The INMO had been one of the leading opponents of the Croke Park II document.

However, it said the proposals in the new deal — designed to cut €1bn from the public service pay bill by 2015 — “mitigate the disproportionate and discriminatory elements contained in the earlier proposals that were rejected”.

The union’s executive council issued a statement last night in which it said: “The Government’s insistence on increasing the working week for nurses and midwives and introducing an optional graduate programme will continue to be a source of frustration to members.

“However taking all aspects of the new proposals into account, when set against the threat of more severe cuts, introduced by legislation, and the resulting required response, the executive council has decided acceptance of the Haddington Road proposals is in the best medium to long term interests of the membership.”

General secretary Liam Doran said the council felt the proposals were the best which could be obtained through negotiation and “much better than the Government’s alternative draconian legislation”.

It will now ballot its 40,000 members until Jun 21 with a recommendation for acceptance.

However, the Civil Public and Services Union is to recommend rejection to its 13,000 members.

Following a meeting of its executive, the union said there had been improvements compared to the contents of the Croke Park II document, but it remained opposed to the requirement for its members to work an extra 2.25 hours per week and to endure a three-month increment freeze.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland and Teachers’ Union of Ireland have said they do not intend to re-ballot members, meaning their no vote from the ballot on Croke Park II still stands.