A strike by more than 6,000 electricians across the country scheduled for Thursday June 10 will not take place as previously scheduled after a pay deal was struck.
The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) said it was calling off the strike action after securing a 5% pay increase.
The strike threat materialised last month after workers voted by 95 per cent for a national strike in the electrical contracting sector.
The TEEU had claimed a 1 per cent once-off payment for inflation due under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness had not been paid. It also claimed employers had failed to agree a new pay rate for the industry, due to come into effect on April 1st.
Union leaders said electrical contractors had conceded a pay rise of 89 cent per hour to 6,000 employees and had abandoned attempts to secure a six month pay freeze.
The strike would have severely affected the construction industry and any companies - such as shops, factories, or small hospitals - that contract out their electrical work. It would also have affected those hoping to have electical work done in their homes.