Irish back pact

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has voted by 305 votes to 36 to back a new national wage deal.

Negotiations with the employers broke down in August (see Labour Research September 2008) but were later restarted. The deal provides a staged 6.0% over 21 months with a three-month pay freeze in the private sector and an 11-month pay freeze in the public sector: inflation stood at 4.0% in October. At the special meeting on 17 November most speakers accepted that the deal was the best that could be achieved in the current economic climate.