Dublin's striking toll bridge operators have voted by three to one to return to work. Shortly before midnight they accepted a Labour Court recommendation that provides a 30 per cent pay rise over the life of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
Afterwards SIPTU branch secretary Mr Mick Halpenny defended the two-week strike.
"The working week has been cut from 41 hours to 37.5 and overall increases of almost 30 per cent were secured. This represents a major increase for lowpaid workers and that's the business we're in."
NTR confirmed its acceptance of the Labour Court recommendation after the ballot. Its chief executive, Mr Jim Barry, said he was delighted with the result. "From the company's perspective it is important to put the experience of recent weeks behind us and move on together for the good of the company."
The main beneficiaries from the settlement are casual workers, who form 75 per cent of SIPTU members at NTR. They will receive pro rata increases with permanent staff and gain access to the latter's incremental scale.
The extra increases conceded in the Labour Court peace formula are worth about 3 per cent for permanent staff and 7.5 per cent for casuals, on top of what was on offer from the company before the strike began.
The new basic pay scale will be £7.62 an hour to £8.25, when it comes fully into force next July. It had been between £5.87 and £6.36.