13/11/2008

Major Union Rejects National Pay Deal

Members of Ireland's second-largest trade union have voted to reject the new national pay deal by a significant majority.

Unite's leadership had campaigned for a 'no' vote, claiming its members would be better off if they were free to negotiate wages at a local level.

The union's 60,000 members voted by three to one to reject the pay rises agreed following weeks of negotiation earlier this year.

In the run up to the vote, Unite Regional Secretary Jimmy Kelly said: "The leadership of this union now believes that a national agreement is no longer the best basis on which to advance the rights and fair remuneration of workers."

The county's main union Siptu is however yet to vote on the matter, but another no vote would effectively be the final nail in the coffin for the deal.

Siptu has urged its members to support the deal as the best package available in the current economic climate, but there is no guarantee this will secure a positive outcome.

(DW)

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