The country's largest union, SIPTU, has given a resounding endorsement to the proposed new pay and social partnership deal but the largest private sector union, Mandate, has overwhelmingly voted to reject the offer.
Ballot results show 73 per cent of SIPTU's 250,000 membership voted to accept the new proposals contained in Sustaining Progress, while 86.5 per cent of Mandate's 40,000 members voted against.
In a statement this afternoon, SPTU's national executive, which recommended acceptance, said it regarded the agreement as an "interim . . . deal, to carry workers through a difficult economic period".
Although recognising misgivings over some aspects of the agreement, the statement emphasised its non-pay elements such as an increase in socially affordable housing and increased statutory redundancy.
The vote will come as massive boost for the Government - which worked hard to bring initially reluctant unions and employers together. Tomorrow, a special delegate conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) will vote on the proposed agreement.
A further boost was provided today by Teachers Union of Ireland who also accepted the deal. The State's second largest union, IMPACT - with a membership of 49,000 - has also overwhelmingly voted in favour.
But last week, the TEEU, one of the biggest private-sector unions, voted against the deal, and today the Communications Workers Union also rejected it, citing the agreement's failure to keep wages in pace with inflation. The deal offers a 7 per cent pay rise over its 18-month lifespan.
Along with today's Mandate decision, unions representing an estimated 150,000 private sector workers have now voted against the deal.
Mandate general secretary, Mr Owen Nulty said the proposed agreement does little for low-paid workers. "[It] will only deliver pay increases at the rate of 3.5 per cent over 12 months, considerably less than inflation, which is currently running at 5.1 per cent," he said.
SIPTU today also expressed concern about inflation and called on the Government and employers to "work actively on an anti-inflationary strategy that would ensure the terms of the agreement protect people from inflationary pressures".
The Amicus trade union, also announced today that its members had voted to accept the deal with 55 per cent in favour.
Mr Jerry Shanahan, Amicus deputy national secretary, however, warned that the the narrowness of the margin would mean the union would be seeking redress if inflation is not brought under control when the agreement expires in 15 months' time.