Union members back deal in private health

The FNV trade union has negotiated a new collective agreement with the national grid operator TenneT that provides for a 4.3% pay increase over 16 months, backdated to 1 May. The union reports that the negotiations went smoothly, with the employer recognising the need to respond to rising inflation to remain an attractive employer. There is a structural wage increase of 3.1% and a one-off payment of 1.2%. From 2023, TenneT's employees will get 5 May off each year as opposed to enjoying the official holiday only once every five years. The agreement runs from 1 May 2022 to 1 September 2023. In

Members of IMPACT, the main public services union, have voted four-to-one in favour of the latest national pay and conditions agreement, “Towards 2016”. The agreement provides for a 10% pay increase over 27 months (10.5% for those earning less than €10.25 an hour) but also includes a number of important changes to strengthen employment rights including higher fines for employers and a trebling of the number of labour inspectors. The agreement has further proposals for public service modernisation but maintains restrictions on the circumstances in which public sector employers can outsource