Employers in the private sector expect pay to increase by an average of 2.5% in 2019 according to CIPD Ireland, the professional body for human resource practitioners. This is first time its overall pay projection has risen above 2% for six years.

CIPD’s winter 2018-2019 Labour Market Outlook says small and medium enterprises (SMEs) expect pay to increase by 3%, while larger private sector employers predict a lower 2% increase.

Last December, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) set a target of 3.4% for private sector pay settlements this year. Its private sector committee also tasked unions with securing additional benefits and continuing to address ‘legacy issues’ in the sector.

The CIPD outlook says 43% of British employers still can’t say how their pay will change in 2019, with uncertainty around Brexit cited as a particular concern.

Read the report HERE.