Workers have been urged by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to donate an hour's pay to a fund established by it for the survivors of the December 26th tsunami, writes Conor Lally.
SIPTU has pledged €250,000 to kick start the fund while IMPACT has pledged €100,000.
The Time for Asia fund hopes to raise €2 million. ICTU intends to distribute any funds raised through NGOs to victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami.
ICTU's general secretary, Mr David Begg, said congress had held talks with IBEC and public-sector employers to discuss how donations could be taken at source from February pay cheques. Consent forms would be distributed in the coming weeks.
ICTU has encouraged workers to donate an hour's pay but people are free to make a donation of any size.