Bruton and ICTU look to hammer out wage-setting reforms

Negotiations on proposals to reform wage-setting mechanisms of workers have begun between Jobs Minister Richard Bruton and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Mr Bruton is proposing to reform the Joint Labour Committee system and scrap overtime and Sunday premium payments.

Minister Bruton ICTU representatives last night in Dublin for more than two hours to discuss his proposals.

The Minister told the unions at that meeting that his plans were in line with official advice.

General Secretary of ICTU David Begg said there were four or five points to resolve.

"We left it on the basis that would think about these things on both sides and we will make contact over the next few days to see if we can resolve them…It's a big issue for an awful lot of people," he said.