The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) proposal to apply the percentage increases of the Public Sector Pay Agreement to the ICE CAST allowance were accepted by a ballot of LAPO members employed as duty engineers across the local authorities, which concluded in September.
LAPO Organiser, Mark Lohan, said: “While the proposal was less than what the Union had sought it was the most that could be extracted from the employer at present. The WRC proposal applies the percentage pay increases from October 2021, meaning that as of this October it moves to €11,302 and another 6% will be added over the lifetime of the current Public Sector Pay Agreement to June 2026. It will continue to attract future increases in successive public pay deals.”
He added: “The LAPO Executive Committee, in addition to recognising the acceptance of the proposal, also resubmitted a claim to further increase the ICE Cast Allowance based on the increased complexity of the duty and the fact that it also has responsibility for regional and local roads. The critical nature of the duty to public safety is also a point of significance and will form part of the continued struggle to have the allowance further increased. Linking it to a percentage pay increase is the first step in securing progress on this matter.”