Negotiations get underway on new partnership deal
Negotiations on a new social partnership deal are due to begin in earnest at Dublin Castle today after being formally opened by the Taoiseach last week.
Trade unions and employers are the two main players in the talks on a successor to the Sustaining Progress deal, which are scheduled to be completed by mid-March.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions initially boycotted the discussions due to the actions of Irish Ferries last year, but changed its stance after securing assurances that issues surrounding migrant labour would be tackled.
ICTU wants measures to prevent Irish workers being replaced by cheaper labour from abroad, as well as measures to protect Irish labour standards and to prevent migrants from being exploited.
The employers' body IBEC, meanwhile, wants competitiveness to be top of the agenda and is calling for pay increases to be kept below the rate of inflation.
The trade unions are likely to resist this as it would effectively mean a reduction in workers' standard of living.
Some unions, meanwhile, are also calling for a new clause that will allow employees in profitable industries to seek extra pay increases above those included in any partnership deal.
