INTO warns against postponement of benchmarking payments

The National Teachers' Organisation is warning the Government that its members will not tolerate the indefinite postponement of benchmarking payments.

The union says that failure to pay up by the Government will undermine talks on a successor to the PPF.

INTO General Secretary, John Carr, says with discussions set to start this week, the coalition is in danger of losing its credibility.

"Workers are beginning to lose trust and confidence in the ability of this Government to keep its word.

"It is vital from our point of view, and from all public servants' points of view, that the benchmarking process be completed.

"If we are going to agree a new national wage agreement there has to be a commitment to pay this money as speedily as possible so that people can restore trust and confidence in the industrial relations mechanism."