Social partnership talks to resume on Wednesday
Social partnership talks on a National Recovery Plan are to resume next Wednesday, it was confirmed this evening.
The employers body IBEC and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are entering a crucial phase that could ultimately determine pay policy for the next number of years.
Talks between the social partners on a new pay deal broke up the weekend before the supplementary Budget and were said to be at an advanced stage.
At that time a draft text had been presented for consideration.
IBEC is understood to be sticking to its demand for a pay freeze for two years.
However unions are expected to request greater flexibility for employees arising from the harsh measures introduced in last week's Budget.
Commentators say that if agreement is not reached in the coming two weeks, social partnership may be dead, marking a return to local bargaining for pay deals.
