THE new leader of the State's largest trade union committed himself early this morning to securing delivery of the full terms of the national agreement by the Government and employers.
Mr Jimmy Somers, who was elected president of SIPTU, said he would be heading up a series of tightly focused campaigns throughout employment sectors in which the union had members to maximise the full benefits of Partnership 2000.
Mr Somers - currently vice president - was elected to the top post by a clear majority of votes cast. The results were announced early this morning. He will take up the job shortly and will serve until his 60th birthday in three years time.
Mr Somers said he was seeking immediate action on the National Centre for Partnership - agreed in Partnership 2000 - and on the "vital" issue of union recognition.
"Particularly in the context of partnership we will not accept that employers can opt in and recognise the trade union movement at national level for the purposes of delivering national agreements while they continue to opt out at local level where individual employers so choose," he added.
The union, he said, would insist on full negotiations on changes in work practices or productivity systems and was totally committed to ensuring that the tax elements of the agreement were fully honoured.