Ratification to take six weeks
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UNIONS will today start planning the difficult consultation process with thousands of workers countrywide ahead of a major vote on the new pay deal.
In order to ratify the national pay agreement, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) will have to hold a special delegate conference in the next four to six weeks. The ICTU executive council will meet on September 27 to examine the text of the agreement which was still being finalised last night.
Individual unions will first hold meetings across the country where the strengths and weaknesses of the agreement will be examined in detail.
Last night, union sources were confident that members would be balloted and a result known within the six weeks.
Employers group IBEC will also take the proposed agreement to regional and sector councils across the country before seeking final ratification at the IBEC National Council.
Following the conclusion of yesterday's talks, IBEC director- general Turlough O'Sullivan said it may now take several weeks for soundings to be taken on the pay deal and for members to decide what was the right course of action for the country.
When the Towards 2016 deal was tabled in 2006, ICTU members voted by a 74pc majority in favour.
However, some unions, most notably the 32,000-member Irish Nurses Organisation opted to "go-it-alone" after its members voted to pursue their pay claim separately.
- Aine Kerr
