The executive of Ireland’s largest public sector union is recommending that its members back the proposed new public pay deal when they begin casting ballots next week.
On Thursday national executive of Fórsa voted “overwhelmingly” to make the recommendation that its members vote in favour of the pay package proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) earlier this week.
Fórsa, which represents 82,000 mostly public sector workers will commence balloting on the deal next week with voting to finish in early October.
Talks at the WRC on the new public sector pay deal concluded on Tuesday morning with a Government offer of pay increases for workers totalling 6.5 per cent over two years.
This is a 1.5 per cent increase over the 5 per cent offer made in June which was rejected by the unions at the time.
Public sector unions have said they will take five weeks to consider the Government’s pay offer before taking a collective decision on October 7th on whether to accept the package.
They have warned that a failure to bring in additional cost-of-living measures in the September budget would impact on how workers vote in ballots on the deal.
The proposals include three phases of pay increases.
The first would be a 3 per cent increase this year, backdated to February 2nd this year, and paid in a lump sum as early as November.
The second would be a 2 per cent increase from March 1st, 2023 while the third would be another 1.5 per cent increase — or a minimum of €750 — from October 1st next year.
The 6.5 per cent is in addition increases the Government says amount to 3 per cent for most public sector workers under the existing Building Momentum deal.
The final 1 per cent increase in that deal — or €500 which ever is greater — is to kick in next October 1st.
Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who is also the president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu), said Fórsa’s executive accepted that the deal was the best that could currently be achieved through negotiations.
“We’ll now be explaining this package to Fórsa members, who will decide the union’s position when a final decision is taken next month,” he said.
He added: “While neither side achieved all it sought in the negotiations, this package is a significant improvement on the pay terms of Building Momentum. And it is worth more to those who need it most.”
Mr Callinan also said: “Today’s discussion by Fórsa’s elected leadership underpinned the fact that workers expect the Government to honour its promise to supplement pay measures with robust cost-of-living supports in the forthcoming Budget, and through the Labour-Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) process.
“A failure to do so is likely to affect the decisions that Fórsa members make in this ballot,” he said.
The Cabinet signed off on the proposed €1.6 billion public sector pay deal at its meeting on Wednesday clearing the way for it to be implemented if it is ratified by unions next month.
Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath welcomed the Government approval of the planned public pay deal, which will extend the existing agreement, Building Momentum, to the end of 2023.
He said he believes the proposals “strike the right balance between providing a deal that is fair to public servants in the midst of cost-of-living challenges and one that is sustainable and affordable for the taxpayer.”
Mr McGrath welcomed the recommendation from Ictu that planned ballots on industrial action be suspended while the proposals are being considered.
He said the proposals will now be considered by workers, with ballots due to take place, and “we must respect the democratic process now under way”.
