Budget 2023

Public sector unions to ballot members over 6.5% pay increase

Talks between unions and government have been ongoing for months, and are driven by the cost-of-living crisis

Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha with Fórsa general secretary and chair of ICTU’s public services committeeKevin Callinan (L) and Irish National Teachers’ organisation, General Secretary John Boyle (R) with John King. Picture: RollingNews.ie

Public sector unions are to ballot their members after workers were offered a 6.5 per cent pay increase by the government.

The proposal would mark the largest pay increase in more than a decade, and would raise the pay of 330,000 public sector workers. It is estimated the pay rise would cost €1.625 billion between this year and next – almost double the €906 million cost of the two-year Building Momentum pay deal it is ...