The only trade union to reject the Haddington Road agreement on public sector pay is to re-ballot its members recommending a yes vote.
Unite members met this morning and discussed the acceptance by other unions of the deal. The union said it was deciding reluctantly to recommend acceptance of the deal as its members would otherwise be disadvantaged.
Following the meeting, the union said "With all the ballot results now in on the Haddington Road proposals, it is clear that the unified opposition to the government’s proposals has broken down as a result of the threatened application of the anti-union ‘FEMPI’ legislation. It is also clear from the legal advice which Unite has received that our members would be seriously disadvantaged if we do not now sign up to the Haddington Road proposals".
"Unite’s public sector representatives have therefore reluctantly recommended that our members vote to accept the Haddington Road proposals under protest" it added.
AHCPS accepts proposals by 64%
Meanwhile the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants has voted to accept the agreement this afternoon. 64% of those who voted supported the proposals, while 36% voted no. Turnout was 76% of over 2,650 memebrs.
Previously the association membership had rejected the proposal to extend the Croke Park Agreement with 85% voting no to the extension of the agreement.
General-Secretary of the association Dave Thomas described this agreement as a modest improvement on the provisions of Croke Park II.
"Having initially rejected the extension of the Croke Park agreement due to its unfairness and targeting of AHCPS members, the AHCPS has now voted in favour of the Haddington Road agreement. This agreement is a modest improvement on the provisions of Croke Park Two, and goes some away towards addressing the manifest inequalities of the latter" he said
"However we are concerned at recent signals from Government suggesting cuts in income tax, while simultaneously continuing to cut public sector pay. It is precisely this type of approach that served to drive Ireland’s economic collapse. We would suggest to those in Government that it would be wise not to repeat the mistakes of the past" he added.
