Good morning colleagues,

The Irish Times, Indo and RTÉ report today that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) has advised affiliates representing members in the private sector to lodge pay claims for between 4.7% and 6% “where sustainable” in 2026. 

Continuing with pay, Eurostat's most recent pay data shows how pay differs across Europe. The average annual salary per employee in the EU is €39,808, ranging from €15,387 in Bulgaria to €82,969 in Luxembourg.

In a roundup of business news, the Irish Times reports that the DAA board has told chief executive Kenny Jacobs of its intention to suspend him on full pay. In the same article, reports that the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has warned the Government against its plans to save just €1 out of every €7 in corporation tax next year, which it described as “risky” and “a marked shift in policy.”

Members of Fórsa's IALPA branch, employed by ASL Air Freight, are taking strike action today. The Irish Times reported last Friday that ASL has engaged the WRC to break "what it described as an impasse between the company and pilots." The Indo reported last night that IALPA has issued a third strike action notice to the company ahead of talks at the WRC, while RTÉ reports this morning that IALPA has said that while it has agreed to attend WRC talks, it is not suspending threatened strike action. 

Meanwhile, Sunday's Corkman reported that Cork TD Eoghan Kenny said his grandmother who has worked as a secretary at St Patrick’s Boys’ National School in Mallow for nearly 30 years will not be entitled to a pension.

Ahead of the final Cabinet meeting of the year, Pat Leahy reports that, on the agenda today, is a new plan to provide €600 million in loans to small builders and developers to build up to 5,000 new homes of all tenure types in the next few years: "The measure of its success will not be in the column inches that greet the announcement, however; it will be in the homes delivered in the medium term."

Your Zen this morning forms part of my preparation for watching some favourite old movies during the Christmas break. Casablanca is a Christmas week staple in our house. This behind-the-scenes documentary maps out its incidental brilliance, its significance in the context of the US's entry into World War 2, and the cast of European refugees who portrayed the the refugees marooned in Casablanca. 

Have a lovely day.

NS