Fórsa members have backed the review of Building Momentum by a significant margin. The overwhelming endorsement of the package means the union will be supporting ratification of the revised public service pay measures at tomorrow’s (Friday 7th October) meeting of the ICTU Public Services Committee (PSC).
The revised public service pay package for 2022-2023 followed negotiations between public service unions and the Government at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and were published at the end of August.
Fórsa conducted an electronic ballot of eligible members and announced its ballot result today (Thursday). The Fórsa ballot result was as follows:
- Votes cast: 47,250 (67% turnout)
- Votes cast against: 4,117 (8.7%)
- Votes cast in favour: 43,133 (91.3%)
Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said the result was a strong statement of support for the pay deal, worth 6.5% in addition to existing Building Momentum pay adjustments, with better increases for lower paid workers: “These pay terms emerged from a review process necessitated by the surge in inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The strong endorsement by our members reflects a recognition that these pay measures will be a helpful support to people at a critical time.
“Throughout the ballot process Fórsa members engaged with the union very actively, and the strong endorsement by our members reflects a recognition that these pay measures will be a helpful support to people at a critical time,” he said.
Kevin said the relatively short lifespan of the pay terms would mean that negotiations on a successor agreement would need to take place in 2023: “In the meantime unions will continue to closely monitor living costs and income pressures.
“The PSC will meet tomorrow (Friday) to consider the outcome of the aggregate ballot on the revised pay deal. Many unions have already returned a vote in favour. In the medium term we do expect to be back in negotiations next year to secure pay terms beyond the lifetime of the current agreement,” he said.
The pay deal would see pay increases of 3% with effect from 2nd February 2022, 2% from 1st March 2023 and 1.5% or €750 (whichever is the greater) from 1st October 2023. This is in addition to 1% or €500, whichever is greater, due at the beginning of October 2022.
The minimum payment of €750 a year from next October means the package would be worth 8% to a worker earning €25,000 a year and 7% to a person on €37,500 a year.
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