SIPTU has negotiated deals worth more than the 9.25 per cent provided for in Partnership 2000, with 22 per cent of the firms where it represents workers. The union's vice-president, Mr Des Geraghty, has told an Irish Management Institute conference in Galway that the union has used Partnership 2000 "creatively to enhance pay rates, increase benefits such as shift pay and pensions and introduce forms of profit-sharing, gain-sharing and other productivity related payments as a new approach in managing change".

However, he also attacked managers who apply double standards when it comes to pay awards. Referring to the latest Inbucon survey on executive pay, Mr Geraghty said: "Clearly, there is a serious problem when executives pay themselves between 6 per cent and 8.4 per cent pay increases over the past 12 months, while many firms are still refusing to negotiate under the partnership elements of the current pay deal, which would allow workers a realistic share of the action".

Commenting on the concerns expressed by the director general of IBEC, Mr John Dunne, that unions might use Partnership 2000 as another pay bargaining mechanism, Mr Geraghty told yesterday's conference: "Employers are paying themselves well over the odds and are in effect attempting to apply double standards."

Dr Patrick Gunnigle, of the University of Limerick, said that a recent study by the university showed that only a quarter of participating organisations had established joint consultative committees or works councils.