THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST public sector trade union has recommend that its members vote to approve the proposed ‘Croke Park 2′ public pay deal.

IMPACT’s central executive today “overwhelmingly” recommended that public workers vote Yes on approving the measures when they are asked to do so in the coming weeks.

General secretary Shay Cody, who is also the chairman of ICTU’s public service committee, said the deal was the best one that could be achieved through negotiations with a government which insisted on cutting down on public pay.

“Faced with management’s determination to make €1 billion additional cuts to the pay bill – by agreement or by legislation – our task is to minimise the adverse effects on our members and the services they provide,” he said in a statement this evening.

“By negotiating, IMPACT and other unions have succeeded in reducing the severity of management proposals in every important area, and it is likely that deeper cuts will be imposed if this package is rejected.”

The union’s members – who number tens of thousands – will be balloted on the deal in a postal vote at the end of March, with a final result due back in mid-April.

Yesterday the Teachers’ Union of Ireland and the AHCPS – which represents higher-grade public servants – all recommended that their members reject the deal.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, representing primary teachers, deferred a recommendation until another meeting tomorrow evening.

Read: TUI recommends rejection of Croke Park II proposals