Media release on behalf of the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Public service unions have confirmed that they reached agreement in principle with Government representatives on a new public sector pay agreement early this morning at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The proposed agreement provides for pay increases of 10.75% over two years and nine months.
The new agreement was negotiated following the expiration of the last public sector pay agreement at the end of June. It follows work-to-rule action across public services since 30th September, public service-wide strike action on Wednesday 14th October, and a planned public service strike for Thursday 12th November.
The Public Services Committee has recommended that unions suspend the strike action and other industrial action to allow affiliates to consider the document and arrange ballots.
The proposed agreement would run for two years and nine months, from July 2026 to March 2029, and include the following pay terms:
- September 2026 – 2% or €1,200, whichever is the greater.
- April 2027 – 1%.
- 1st August 2027 – 1% or €600, whichever is the greater.
- 1st November 2027 a pay adjustment of 1.5% or a minimum payment of €900 whichever is the greater.
- 1st March 2028 – a pay adjustment of 1%
- 1st June 2028 – a pay adjustment of 1% or a minimum payment of €600 whichever is the greater.
- 1st October 2028 – a pay adjustment of 1%.
- 1st March 2029 – implementation of the second phase of ‘local bargaining’ of 1%.
- 2nd 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.
- Agreement ends on 31st March 2029.
In addition, the threshold at which the lower-pay provisions apply will increase from €50,000 to €60,000.
Talks with the Government-appointed group concluded late on Monday night, when the Government Appointed Group proposed a pay formula to overcome the impasse in earlier WRC talks.
Following the conclusion of that process yesterday, both sides returned to the WRC and finalised the new draft agreement early this morning. The 19 affiliate unions of the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions met early this morning to be briefed on the draft agreement.
The national executives of the affiliate unions will meet in the coming days to analyse the full terms of the proposed agreement before making a recommendation to members ahead of a national ballot.
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