Largest unions back national pay deal

Members of three of the country’s largest unions have backed the draft national pay deal, it was announced today.

Impact, the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union and Mandate all voted in favour of the agreement, thrashed out at the end of September after marathon talks between the Government, trade unions and employers.

Smaller unions including the National Union of Journalists, Irish Nurses Organisation and the Irish Bank Officials Association also rowed in behind it.

Just under half of Impact’s 55,000 public service members voted, with over 90% of those backing the agreement.

Peter McLoone, Impact general secretary, said the pay deal could help bring economic stability to the country.

“Irish social partnership was first developed in the 1980s to tackle huge economic and social problems,” he said.

“It did this successfully because, while representing their constituencies, people put the needs of society above narrow sectional interests.

“Once again our economic situation is worsening and we need to discuss how social partnership can help meet the challenges this poses for jobs, living standards and public services.”

Umbrella group the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) will hold a special delegates conference on Monday to decide whether to accept or reject the deal.

Unite, which represents 60,000 private sector workers, yesterday became the only union to reject the deal, with members voting against it by a majority of three-to-one.

The wage deal provides for a pay increase of 6% for all workers over 21 months.

The money will be paid in two phases with a 0.5% increase at the end of the agreement for workers earning less than €430.49 per week, or around €22,463 a year.

TEEU, which represents 45,000 workers in the engineering sector, voted by a four to one majority in favour of the deal.

Owen Wills, TEEU general secretary, said he was surprised by the scale of the majority.

“The outcome obviously reflects members’ concerns at the economic situation and the damage that a free-for-all could do to job security and our competitiveness,” he said.

“It also reflects their realisation that the new national agreement is as much about promoting employment rights issues as pay increases.”

A quarter of Mandate’s 55,000 retail sector members voted on the deal, overwhelmingly backing it.

John Douglas, Mandate General Secretary, said members placed the economic recovery of the country ahead of their own personal desires.

“Acceptance of this deal is a bigger sacrifice for low paid workers than for most but I do expect that when the economy returns to growth, this will be remembered and the social partners will reward these workers for their patience and sacrifice,” Mr Douglas said.

The NUJ said the deal was the best possible under the circumstances.

Iboa also backed the pay deal – the first time the union has voted to support a national wage agreement since the mid 1990s.

Larry Broderick, general secretary, said although members had misgivings they believed the best course of action was to back the agreement because of the global financial crisis.

Ictu’s special delegates conference will take place at Liberty Hall on Monday.