Representatives of local authority craft workers and their employers will meet today to try to avoid threatened strike action by the craft workers next Monday.
A delegation from the nine unions in the Local Authority and Health Board Craft Group of Unions will meet members of the Local Government Services Board at the board's headquarters in Ushers Quay, Dublin, this afternoon.
The craft group of unions reinstated a seven-day strike notice last week after members rejected in a ballot the weekly pay increase for craft workers recommended by the Labour Court.
The unions declared themselves available for immediate talks "to resolve the outstanding issues in the dispute" after a meeting with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on Saturday.
Craft workers who held unofficial strikes at hospitals around the Republic last month before the ballot was taken were opposed to the productivity elements of the pay deal and the staggered nature of the increases, even though the proposals had the backing of the craft group of unions' leadership.
The chairman of the unions, Mr Paddy Coughlan, said this weekend he was confident progress could be made in the talks "provided that there is the will from the employers and Government".
"Unless such progress is made, and the outstanding issues resolved, strike notice will expire at normal working time on Monday, June 22nd and strike action will commence."
Mr Coughlan stressed that procedures had been agreed with employers to provide emergency cover if the strike went ahead next Monday.
