EMPLOYERS HAVE offered to engage in talks with trade unions on a possible bilateral deal covering companies in the private sector if no overall social partnership agreement on national recovery can be reached.
In a letter to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) yesterday, employers’ body Ibec said it was concerned about the apparent lack of progress on matters relating to the agreement reached on pay and other issues last autumn as it applied in the private sector.
Talks between the Government and the various social partners including employers and unions have been under way, on and off, for several weeks now but all parties indicate that little progress has been made to date.
The talks are now entering a critical phase with unions indicating they will need to know by this weekend whether it is possible to reach a national deal in principle on economic recovery with the Government.
Ibec director general Turlough O’Sullivan told the Ictu yesterday: “The apparent lack of progress in coming to an agreed position is not helpful either to the image of partnership or more importantly to the need for stability in the private sector and the wider economy.”
He said Ibec strongly believed it was in the best interests of the country for the parties to be able to resolve issues within partnership “and be seen to do so”.
He said this sent out the appropriate signals to the international community and helped with Ireland’s reputational issues.
“The economy needs a new and more appropriate understanding on pay as we continue to battle competitive issues and the worsening pace of job losses. I appreciate that we are both involved with the Government on issues particular to our constituencies but I thought that it would be helpful if we were to make progress on this important issue for both Ictu and Ibec.
“While employers and employees are dealing with the realities on a daily basis in a sensible manner, nevertheless we are concerned that in the present extremely delicate situation for the economy we are demonstrating leadership and doing everything possible to ensure industrial peace and stability,” he said.
Mr O’Sullivan said that Ibec was available at short notice to engage with the trade unions in an attempt to secure an agreement.
Ibec has maintained that it was “hard to envisage” pay rises for workers before 2011 due to the economic difficulties.
However, it has also indicated that it would not stand in the way of any employer who was in a position to pay the wage increases on a voluntary basis.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said last night that the current talks were hugely difficult and that “a successful outcome is far from certain”.