Tomorrow’s strike suspended as unions agree pay deal

Plans for a public sector strike tomorrow have been suspended after trade unions agreed a new draft pay deal with the Government.

The proposals will deliver pay increases of 10.75% over 2 years and 9 months in a deal that will run to March 2029.

Talks concluded at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) at around 3.30am.

Following the negotiations, the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has recommended that unions suspend strike action and other industrial action, including ongoing work-to-rules, to allow unions to consider the document and arrange ballots.

The proposed agreement would from July 2026 to March 2029, and include the following pay terms:

* 1 September 2026 – a pay adjustment of 2% or a minimum payment of €1,200 whichever is the greater.

* 1 April 2027 – a pay adjustment of 1%.

* 1 August 2027 – a pay adjustment of 1% or a minimum payment of €600 whichever is the greater.

* November 2027 – a pay adjustment of 1.5% or a minimum payment of €900 whichever is the greater.

* 1 March 2028 – a pay adjustment of 1%.

* 1 June 2028 – a pay adjustment of 1% or a minimum payment of €600 whichever is the greater.

* 1 October 2028 – a pay adjustment of 1%.

* 1 March 2029 – implementation of the second phase of “local bargaining” of 1%.

* 2 March 2029 – a pay adjustment of 1.25% or a minimum payment of €750 whichever is the greater.

* The final phase of “local bargaining” will be implemented during the lifetime of the successor agreement to this agreement.

Also as part of the agreement, the threshold at which the lower-pay provisions apply will increase from €50,000 to €60,000.

Speaking to reporters this morning outside the WRC, Chair of ICTU’s Public Services Committee and Fórsa General Secretary Kevin Callinan said the negotiations has been difficult.

“Based on what we know about inflation, it is ahead of the projections over the period, so we’re pleased about that,” Mr Callinan said.

“We’ve made some progress but we are in uncertain times and one of the important things in the agreement is that there is a review clause in the event that inflation was to spike again.

“This has been a really difficult process. I think it will take more than a pay offer to rebuild the trust of public servants with the government,” he added.

Unions will now ballot their members on the pay proposals with the votes to conclude early in the week beginning 7 December.