The Irish Bank Officials' Association (IBOA) has said it will seek a 10 per cent increase in pay over the next two years at the talks on a new partnership agreement.
IBO general secretary Larry Broderick said: "The economy is buoyant with productivity and tax revenue rising and record profitability in the financial services sector. IBO believe employers, particularly profitable ones, should reward employees with adequate wage increases.
"In our own sector, financial institutions report billion euro profits, yet the people, who generate the profits . . . the staff, are prevented from benefiting through the absence of a local bargaining clause.
"We must be free to negotiate locally with highly profitable organisations, it just does not make economic sense and creates a lot of ill-feeling among our members that the only people who benefit in such organisations are highly paid senior executives," he said.
"IBO are in discussions with other unions in Ictu and particularly with those from within the private sector aimed at developing a strategy that will put the issue of pay in the private sector at the top of the agenda," Mr Broderick added.