Pay talks to resume today amid ongoing deadlock

30/05/2006 - 07:26:12
Employers and trade unions are due to resume talks on a new national pay deal today after failing to reach agreement again yesterday.

The talks have now been dragging on for a number of weeks, raising concern that a deal may not be possible.

The unions are understood to be seeking pay rises of 5% per annum, as well as an extra increase for the low-paid and a clause allowing workers to seek more from highly-profitable firms.

They say this is warranted given the rising cost of the living and the fact that Ireland's economy is still booming.

The employers, however, are opposed to a local-bargaining clause and want any pay rises limited to around 3% a year to protect competitiveness.

Yesterday, the Taoiseach warned that time to secure an agreement was running out.