O’Dowd welcomes deal on civil service pay

Civil service trade unions in Northern Ireland have accepted a 20-month pay award plan, the Finance Minister has said.

John O’Dowd welcomed the agreement on the pay uplifts, which he said had received the backing of all unions involved in negotiations with his department.

The offer was tabled by Mr O’Dowd’s predecessor as finance minister Caoimhe Archibald in January after a series of negotiations with both industrial and non-industrial civil service unions.

It includes a 3% consolidated increase with effect from last August and a 6% consolidated increase with effect from August 2025.

The plan also includes:

– Contractual performance-related progression.

– Bringing up the pay of the lowest paid staff to the Living Wage Foundation rates of £12.60 an hour or £24,336 annually.

– A series of improvements to allowances and other terms and conditions, such as maternity and adoption pay, to be detailed during 2025.

Minister O’Dowd said: “I am pleased unions have accepted the 2024/25 pay offer.

“This pay award signals the importance we place on civil servants and the key role they will play in transforming our services and contributing to the delivery of our Programme For Government ambitions.

“Moving to a 20-month deal and the same pay cycle as other workers will give staff certainty and is a more strategic approach, leaving us better placed to recruit and retain the workforce we need.

“Confirming our commitment to being a living wage foundation employer, alongside improvements in maternity cover, shows our determination to ensure equality and fairness in our pay structures.

“The pressures facing public services are significant and increasing, skilled and motivated staff are essential to drive transformation and ensure we meet the changing needs of citizens.”