The Labour Court has issued recommendations on eight claims for improved pay and conditions for nurses and midwives taken by the Irish Nurses Organisation and Psychiatric Nurses Association.
A joint statement issued this afternoon by the unions said the recommendations will be considered in detail at a joint meeting of both unions executive councils next Tuesday.
Speaking to The Irish Times earlier this week, INO spokesman Liam Doran warned the Labour Court recommendations would have to include progress on the issue of an "anomaly" under which care staff who report to nursing staff earn more than the nurses for the first 21 years of a nurse's career.
Mr Doran said the INO/PNA were determined that nurses and midwives achieve a reduction in the working week which would bring them into line with all other professionals working in the Irish health service.
He said there were 40,000 nurses and midwives awaiting the recommendations.