Mandate recommends rejection of national pay deal

The Mandate trade union has recommended rejection of the new national pay deal on the grounds that it does not do enough for low-paid workers.

The deal, negotiated by trade unions, employers and government officials last month, includes a 5.5% pay increase for all employees over a period of 18 months, with an additional 0.5% for low-paid workers.

The trade unions had demanded a flat-rate increase of €20-a-week for such workers, but this was successfully resisted by the employers.

Speaking about the matter this morning, Mandate spokesman Brendan Archbold said a 6% pay rise over 18 months was not sufficient for his members, most of whom work in the retail sector.