The chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission, Mr Kieran Mulvey, has offered to mediate in the ATGWU's bitter internal dispute which led to the suspension of its Irish secretary, Mr Mick O'Reilly, and its Northern Ireland officer, Mr Eugene McGlone, six weeks go.
Confirming that he had written to Mr O'Reilly and the Britain-based general secretary of the union, Mr Bill Morris, on Wednesday, Mr Mulvey said yesterday he would be delighted if there was anything he could do to help.
He is concerned at the destabilising effect on industrial relations a protracted dispute could have in one of the Republic's largest unions. The formal internal hearings for both men were originally expected to take place within two weeks of the suspensions, but have now been rescheduled for September 4th.
In the meantime, they have both been suspended from all union activity, including participation in Irish Congress of Trade Union activities.
Mr O'Reilly's lawyers are understood to have written to Mr Morris pointing out that he is a member of Northern Ireland's Civic Forum as an ICTU nominee, not an employee of the ATGWU. Mr McGlone is understood to have made a similar case in relation to his role as chairman of ICTU's Northern Ireland Committee.
Mr Mulvey knows Mr O'Reilly and Mr Morris well and is likely to have taken soundings in Britain before making his peace initiative. As a former trade union leader, Mr Mulvey worked with Mr O'Reilly in the ICTU and Mr Morris is a member of ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation, Arbitration Service), the British equivalent of the LRC. ACAS and the LRC frequently co-operate to resolve industrial relations problems.
Meanwhile the Irish representative on the union's general council, Mr Jimmy Kelly, says Irish members will campaign in Britain against the suspensions.