The National Executive Council of SIPTU, the largest trade union in the country is to meet this evening to decide whether to recommend that its members accept the new national wage agreement.
The council is expected to meet until late this evening and reconvene tomorrow morning when it will issue its recommendation.
Up to 500 SIPTU members met at a conference today to debate the new social partnership agreement that was finalised last month.
The ratio of speakers at the conference in favour of the agreement was five to one. Delegates were mostly satisfied that pay increases in the agreement will cover inflation.
Employment rights and the protection of vulnerable workers from exploitation were the key issues at the conference.
Once the council issue their recommendation, a secret ballot of SIPTU members will take place on the Towards 2016 deal over the coming weeks.
The partnership agreement includes pay rises totalling 10 per cent, an increase in social welfare rates and measures to protect employment standards.
Other unions are also balloting their members on the agreement ahead of a decision by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on September 5th.