Negotiations on a proposed successor public service agreement concluded in the early hours of this morning. An outline of the proposed terms was subsequently presented to the ICTU Public Services Committee.

The Public Services Committee recommended that affiliated unions suspend industrial action while the proposed agreement is considered.

The IFUT executive committee met at 8 a.m. this morning to consider that recommendation and agreed to suspend IFUT’s industrial action.

The proposed agreement runs for 33 months and provides for headline increases totalling 10.75 per cent. It also contains provisions covering local bargaining and a number of other matters.

A statement by the IFUT says that the suspension of industrial action does not constitute acceptance of the proposed agreement by IFUT.

The IFUT executive committee will meet on Friday 13 November to consider the proposed agreement in detail. Following that meeting, IFUT will communicate the Executive’s position to members, together with any arrangements for a membership ballot.

IFUT general secretary Frank Jones said: “Our members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action and demonstrated that mandate through collective action across our workplaces.

“That pressure produced movement.

“We now have a proposal which requires proper consideration. Suspending the action gives the Executive the opportunity to examine it in detail before we report back to members.

“This suspension does not constitute acceptance of the proposed agreement. The Executive will meet again on Friday and we will communicate our position to members following that meeting.”

The planned 24-hour work stoppage and associated rallies on 12 November will therefore not proceed.