THE employer’s umbrella body IBEC has decided to formally withdraw from the terms of the current national pay agreement before the New Year. The group reiterated its position that there should be no pay rises before 2011.
The group said it still supported an agreed partnership approach to the current economic challenges, but said efforts must focus on keeping companies in business and supporting jobs.
IBEC will take unilateral action if no agreement is reached with ICTU between now and mid-December on an alternative pay agreement that is appropriate for the economic and commercial environment of 2010.
“Protracted efforts over the last year to reach an agreement on suspending the pay terms have proved unsuccessful,” said Danny McCoy IBEC’s director general. “Everyone’s priority must be to ensure that companies stay in business so that jobs are protected to the maximum extent possible,” he said.
