The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has issued guidance to unions in the private sector to seek to secure, where affordable, pay increases in the range 4% to 7.5% next year.
The Congress Private Sector Committee has published pay bargaining guidance for 2023 which it says takes note of the various forecasts of the likely rate of inflation and core inflation in the coming year.
ICTU is also pointing to other options that unions have available to them including improving new entry pay rates, adjusting working time to the benefit of workers and utilising schemes such as the Small Benefits Exemption Scheme.
Congress says private sector unions should also seek the introduction and improvement of other benefits like service pay, sick pay, annual leave and pension benefits.
ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy said that the guidance which has been published today provides unions with an analysis of the factors that will affect the pay bargaining in the private sector in the coming year.
"While the conditions will vary from company to company, the guidance sets out the options that unions have available to them," Mr Reidy said.
"Given the high level of uncertainty in the private sector of the economy it is the intention of the Congress Private Sector Committee to keep this guidance under review throughout the coming year," he added.
In October, unions formally accepted a new public sector pay deal which will see public servants receive a 6.5% pay increase between now and the end of next year.
