Unions and officials begin benchmarking discussions

Unions will hold a critical meeting with Department of Finance officials today as the second stage of the benchmarking review begins.

This will be the first meeting between the two sides since the review group recommended average increases of nine per cent for 230,000 public service workers.

The Department's expected role will be to listen to the unions' reactions, while ICTU's Public Services Committee cannot take a formal decision until individual unions make up their minds on the deal.

Already, prison officers and gardai have reacted angrily to their suggested pay hikes.

However, ICTU is keen to begin implementation of the first pay rises, though the Government has warned that this will not happen until all the unions have signed up to the deal.