The prospect of ratification of the proposed new public service agreement "Building Momentum" has increased as more public service unions voted to accept it today - with only two unions rejecting it so far.
The Government is anxious to see the two-year deal ratified to bring some certainty to pay and industrial relations as it battles the twin challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit.
The deal will deliver pay rises of up to 3% for around 350,000 state employees over 2021 and 2022, as well as restoration of pre-austerity rates of overtime and premium payments.
It will also commence the process of rolling back unpopular additional unpaid hours imposed in 2013 during the economic crisis.
While some unions will continue to ballot on "Building Momentum" until 22 February, results so far suggest that the proposals will be accepted in an aggregate vote on 23 February.
The four largest unions - SIPTU, Fórsa, the Irish National Teachers Organisation, and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation - have all recommended acceptance.
With two of those bigger unions - SIPTU and the INTO - already delivering substantial votes in favour, ratification is now highly likely.
SIPTU's 52,000 public sector members backed the deal by 91%, with the 38,000-strong Irish National Teachers Organisation voting for it by a margin of four to one.
Today, Unite's 4,000 members spread across education, health local authorities and state agencies voted for the deal by three to one.
Unite Regional Coordinating Officer Richie Browne said the challenge now was to maximise benefits for public sector workers through the processes provided for under the agreement.
"In particular, we will be closely monitoring implementation of the sectoral bargaining provision to ensure that it delivers for our members. We will also be actively engaging with the independent body tasked with addressing the additional unpaid hours or so-called Haddington Road hours," he said.
Of Connect's 1,600 public service craft workers, 88% support it, with General Secretary Paddy Kavanagh saying the restoration of pre-austerity overtime rates was a key factor.
The 3,000 members of the Prison Officers Association gave it 95% support.
POA Chief Executive John Clinton said that in deciding to accept "Building Momentum" members had voted to achieve a short-term pay agreement up until 31 December 2022 - but looked forward to talks on a successor agreement commencing in the early summer of next year.
The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants also saw its 3,000 senior government employees back the deal by 93%.
Two days ago, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland became the first union to reject "Building Momentum", on the grounds that it failed to restore full pay equality for so-called "new entrants" recruited since 2011 on lower pay and conditions.
Today, the ASTI was joined by the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association who voted it down by 96%.
Its 1,800 members, who carry out critical diagnostic tests including for Covid-19, are frustrated at the failure of "Building Momentum" to address a long-running dispute over pay parity with other colleagues doing similar work in biochemistry laboratories for 8% more money.
While "Building Momentum" may end up being ratified by most public service unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, anger remains among non-affiliated representative bodies, particularly those representing the gardaí and the Defence Forces, who are not permitted to affiliate to Congress.
They have accused the management side of excluding them from substantive talks, and of presenting them with a "fait accompli" negotiated with a small group of key ICTU negotiators.
Yesterday, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors lodged a formal complaint about the matter to the Oversight Body at the Workplace Relations Commission.
Both AGSI and the Defence Forces bodies PDFORRA and RACO have said they cannot commence a ballot until they get clarifications from the government side, which so far have not been forthcoming.
