Measures to address two-tier pay system to come into effect from Friday

New measures aimed at addressing the controversial two-tier pay system for thousands of staff who joined the public service since 2011 will come into effect from Friday.

Under proposals which were first announced by the Government last September, recent entrants to the public service will see their pay catch up with that of longer-serving colleagues over time by being permitted to jump some points on their existing incremental pay scales.

Those taken on since 2011 will jump an increment when they reached the fourth and the eighth point on their respective pay scales.

The new initiative will come into force on March 1 and individual staff will benefit when they reach the fourth point of their pay scale.

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The Government said the new measures would cost €27 million in 2019 and €48 million in 2020.

The proposed initiative would cost close to €200 million by 2026, when the most recently-appointed public service staff would see the full benefit of the new proposals.

More than 60,000 staff have been affected by the lower pay arrangements introduced for those taken on since 2011.

The Government's proposals to tackle the new entrant issue have been rejected by the teaching unions ASTI and INTO although neither have balloted members for industrial action.

The proposals were also rejected by members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. Nurses are expected to vote shortly on proposals put forward by the Labour Court which led to the suspension of recent strike action.