Congress launches Campaign on Pay
Congress is to issue guidelines to all private sector affiliate unions in preparation for the lodging of pay claims with individual companies and employers in the sector. This follows the collapse of national pay talks - covering both public and private sectors - in the early hours of August 2.
The guidelines will be issued by the Congress Private Sector Committee, which met today (August 6) to formulate strategy and coordinate activity in relation to the lodging of pay claims with employers.
The guidelines will deal with inflation, pay claims, flat rate increases for the lower paid and will have due regard to employment conditions and job security in different sectors and employments.
According to the chair of the Private Sector Committee, Jerry Shanahan (Unite) unions would lodge claims where pay deals have expired and consult with members as to conditions in each sector.
"Some pay deals expired as far back as April and, in the absence of a national deal, it is incumbent on us negotiate new deals. Prices have not stopped rising and inflation has not slowed down. We need to protect people's standard of living."
He also confirmed that unions will be guided in their claims for improved pay and conditions by the needs of members - "they will set the agenda," he said.
A working group is to be established by the Private Sector Committee in order to coordinate the pay campaign and strategy across the private sector.
