The next social partnership agreement should not be partnership at any price but must be built on the parties recognising their responsibilities to one another, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, warned yesterday. She said it was a cause for concern that in some disputes, normal industrial relations procedures had not been fully utilised. "The partnership approach which has been so evident at the national level should be reflected in industrial relations at all levels," she said.

She was speaking at a conference on "New Work Organisation", a national programme developed by the Irish Productivity Centre (IPC) in partnership with IBEC and the ICTU. The programme is aimed at facilitating industry in adapting to the changing economic environment.

Ms Harney said a "responsible evolving process of social partnership" had been developed which now had to be applied in negotiating the new agreement. "It is to be expected that all of those who have made the sacrifices and contributed to the boom, employees as well as employers, should seek to share in the gains achieved.

"The old ways of spiralling wage demands cannot be the answer to this need to share in the profits and other gains," she said.

IBEC's director general, Mr John Dunne, said the competitive imperative had to be "recognised, developed and delivered" in building a partnership approach.

While the development of partnership strategies was complex, such strategies were for those who believed in excellence rather than mediocrity.

"They are for those who want to grow and develop, who see togetherness as the way forward, who understand that a team is far, far better than a group of individuals, who acknowledge differences but believe in resolution," he said.

The general secretary of ICTU, Mr Peter Cassells, also called for new reward systems, saying the capacity of Irish workers to adapt to change had contributed to the economic boom. The economy's success would continue by modernising workplaces and setting standards in productivity, employer/employee relations and conditions.