Members of Ireland's largest public sector trade union have backed the new national pay deal by a margin of 91 per cent to nine per cent.
The result of the ballot of IMPACT's 52,000 members released today is in line the union's executive recommending support for the second 18-month element of Sustaining Progress.
The deal is worth 5.5 per cent to over the lifetime of the deal to most with those on less than 351 per week receiving 6 per cent. a week.
IMPACT General Secretary Mr Peter McLoone said: Mr McLoone said: "Sustaining Progress is delivering the highest pay increases in any of the world's leading economies. In exchange, Irish workers are delivering the highest productivity improvements in Europe and the EU's highest rates of economic growth."
The majority of IMPACT's members are in the public sector and many of these workers will receive an average of 8.9 per cent pay increase over the 18-month duration of the deal under the terms of benchmarking.
Sustaining Progress has already been endorsed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions while members from the largest union in the State, SIPTU, will conclude their ballot on August 27 thwith results likely to be announced a few days later. The union's executive has recommended acceptance.