SEVERAL OF the State's largest trade unions will today announce results of ballots on the draft national pay agreement, ahead of next Monday's Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) conference.
Ictu is holding the special delegate conference to decide whether to accept or reject the deal.
The result of the ballot of members of some of Ictu's largest constituent unions, including Siptu, the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU), Impact, Mandate and the Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU) are expected today.
These ballot results will come after yesterday's rejection of the deal by Unite, the union created by the merger of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) and Amicus.
Unite's 60,000 members voted by a 3:1 majority against the agreement. The result was not unexpected, with the ATGWU having previously voted against national pay agreements.
Unite's regional secretary Jimmy Kelly yesterday said the deal did not meet the union's minimum requirements in relation to what was needed to meet the changing economic circumstances.
"The draft agreement on which our members have now voted came up short in too many key areas," Mr Kelly said. "The leadership of this union put forward a view that a national agreement is no longer the best basis on which to advance the rights and fair remuneration of workers. Our members share that view."
The draft agreement provides for a pay increase of 6 per cent for all workers over 21 months, to be paid in two phases, with a 0.5 per cent increase at the end of the agreement for workers earning less than €430.49 per week, or aBOUT €22,463 a year.
This was not sufficient for working people to cope with the changing economy, Mr Kelly said.
"There have been conflicting views on all sides as to whether this was the best deal in the current rapidly-changing economic circumstances. We stood up to be counted with a view that the pay element was not enough in real terms for working people."
Unite had sought special treatment for the lowest-paid. However, this was not delivered, the union said, and instead a "token gesture" was offered.
"We believe it is better to fight on at local level to achieve fair pay," Mr Kelly said.
