State’s largest trade unions back new pay deal

The country’s largest trade unions have backed the proposed new public service agreement that was concluded early on Friday morning.

However, staff representative organisations which are not affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu)expressed deep unhappiness that promises they said they were given to be treated equally in the talks process had not been implemented.

Kevin Callinan – general secretary of Fórsa, the largest public service union – said the proposals were the best that could be achieved.

Siptu deputy general secretary John King welcomed the proposals. He also said they were the best that could be achieved in the current circumstances.

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“ In particular, they continue the process of income progression for the lower paid and middle income workers in the public service and the return of hours removed under previous agreements. The detailed proposals will now be considered by the national executive of Siptu before it goes to a postal ballot of members,” he said.

However the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said it was shocked and dismayed that the proposals were published in the media on Friday morning before it had received them.

AGSI general secretary Antoinette Cunningham said: "Having pursued the right to negotiate the pay and conditions for sergeants and inspectors over many years and receiving undertakings that full parity of esteem would exist between ourselves and other unions and associations, it would appear these commitments have been disregarded and not fully upheld.

"While we were attending at the Workplace Relations Commission on Friday morning, we were at the same time reading details of the proposed agreement in the media," Ms Cunningham said.

“As an association it is important to state that we have had no part in forming or negotiating the final document that is being presented to us – which we are told will be presented to us later today.”

The National Executive of the AGSI will convene on Tuesday to consider the proposed new agreement.