Trade unionists launch campaign against partnership deal
A number of senior officials from some of Ireland's leading trade unions have joined forces to launch a "grassroots" campaign to oppose the new social partnership deal.
The officials come from a number of different unions, including some which support the Towards 2016 deal that was finalised earlier this month.
They claim the agreement contains very little for trade unions members and includes a pay rise that only barely covers the existing rate of inflation.
They also say the deal is skewed against the interests of public sector workers, particularly by allowing for the outsourcing of public sector work.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has said the Towards 2016 deal was the best possible outcome from months of negotiations.
However, several unions, including MANATE, the IBOA, the TUI and the ASTI have all come out against the agreement.
The group behind the new campaign says opposition is also growing within Ireland's largest trade union, SIPTU, whose support is vital to ensuring the deal gets approved by ICTU.
