A threatened strike by 6,000 electricians, which had been due to begin next Thursday, has been averted following negotiations on a new pay deal.
The action, by members of the TEEU employed in the electrical contracting sector, could have caused significant delays to construction projects, and would also have hit other areas of the economy, including manufacturing and services.
The union said yesterday that employers had conceded a 5.13 per cent pay increase for electricians on lower rates, and a 4.9 per cent rise for those at the top of the scale.
They had also agreed to pay a 1 per cent lump sum due under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF), and had dropped plans for a six-month pay freeze, the union said in a statement.