Ireland's largest electrical trade association has called on the National Joint Industrial Counsel and labour court to abandon further pay talks.

The National Electrical Contractors Ireland (NECI) said all of its 600 members, as well as 90% of employers in the sector, have opposed the 5% pay increase for electricians.

At a crisis meeting last week, NECI decided to back a 10% pay reduction on the craft basic rate for electricians, to be applied right across all points of the electricians scale in the sector.

The Electrical Contracting Industry is bound by its own Registered Employment Agreement (REA).

This agreement was introduced into the industry in 1990 by three party’s the Technical Engineering & Electrical Union representing employees, Association of Electrical Contractors with a membership of 285 employers and UK's largest trade association with a branch in Ireland the Electrical Contractors Association with an approximate membership of 52 employers.

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Around 5257 Irish registered electrical contractors are bound by the terms of the agreement relating to pay and conditions for electricians and apprentice electricians working in that sector.

Any electrical contractor breaching this agreement or the terms within this agreement will see the contractor being brought before the labour court and face fines penalties and interest.

This agreement prohibits electrical contractors from agreeing terms and conditions of employment, pay and conditions for electricians and apprentice with any of their employees.

A NECI spokesman said: "We have seen increasing pressure being forced upon the industry from the economic downturn, the slowdown in the construction industry and increasing competition from northern and UK electrical contracting firms, which are not bound by any Registered Employment Agreement.

"The industry is under massive pressure with increasing numbers of electrical contracting firms being forced to breach the law (REA) to remain viable and competitive to secure and maintain employment for all employees within the sector."

NECI suggested there has been such substantial change in the circumstances of the electrical contracting industry since the registration of the agreement that it is now undesirable to maintain registration.

(PR)