A total of 5,500 construction union members in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) are to merge through a transfer of engagements.

90 per cent of the UCATT members voted for the transfer which was welcomed by the General Secretary of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU), Eamon Devoy.

Mr Devoy said: "This means that we will have a new, enlarged union of over 45,000 members and that will help us push for better pay and conditions across the economy, especially in construction.

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"The merger is an important part of our strategy to recruit and organise Irish workers in a growing economy that will ensure they not alone claw back cuts imposed by employers during the recession but share in the benefits of this hard won recovery."

Mr Devoy added that no ballot of TEEU members is required as the merger is through a transfer of engagements between his union and UCATT.

He continued: "A decision on a new name and other changes in the constitution of the TEEU required to facilitate the transfer, will be a matter for the delegates at the TEEU biennial delegate conference in November following which the newly merged union will come into effect in January 2017."

(CD/MH)