There's a call for pay increases of 4 to 6 per cent in the private sector.
The Congress Private Sector Committee has today published Pay Bargaining Guidance for Unions.
It's also seeking to improve the position of lower-paid workers, by improving new entrant rates of pay.
Congress General Secretary Owen Reidy says it's vital private sector workers get pay hikes due to rising costs:
"It's crucial. It's essential. Private sector workers have been through a lot in recent years: the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis. And for too many in our economy in the Republic of Ireland, work in the private sector just doesn't pay. We've been hearing a lot of noise from employers about the cost of doing business, and I think some of that, quite frankly, is overblown".