Trade union boost for public pay deal

Chances of the new public service pay agreement being passed by the trade union movement have been given a major boost after the executives of two of the largest unions recommended their members back the proposals.

Impact and the Irish National Teacher’ Organisation said the ‘Lansdowne Road Agreement’ achieved their aim of fairness in the way pay restoration was implemented.

The deal restores approximately €2,000 to most public servants between 2016 and 2017, while at the same time extending the terms of the Haddington Road agreement to 2018.

Impact will ballot its 55,000 members, who are eligible to vote, from next week while INTO said its ballot of its 32,000 members will be completed this month.

On a less positive note for the deal, the executive of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland has said it is recommending its 14,500 members reject the deal in a ballot next autumn.

TUI president Gerry Quinn said its members in institutes of technology were experiencing high levels of work-related stress as a result of the additional ‘flex’ hours given for the duration of the Haddington Road Agreement, with the delivery of the two hours of lecturing requiring a multiple of hours in terms of preparation and associated work.

He said at second level, teachers were “frustrated and disillusioned by the extra hours of bureaucracy and administration required under the Croke Park and Haddington Road Agreements”.