Employers and unions yesterday took up opposing positions on the payment of extra money to people working next New Year's Eve - so opposing that they could not agree that the birth of a new millennium is unique.

In favour of the uniqueness of next New Year's Eve is Mr Jimmy Somers, president of SIPTU. Because it is unique, he said, the question of extra payment for people working on that day is not bound by existing agreements.

But Mr Turlough O'Sullivan of IBEC demurred. "New Year's Eve is not exactly new," he declared. "We've had a few of them."

Earlier in the day IBEC's director general, Mr John Dunne, had ruled out extra payments saying employers expected existing pay agreements to be adhered to.

But Mr Somers said the day could not be covered by existing agreements "because the last time it happened was 1,000 years ago" and that it won't set a precedent because it won't happen again for another 1,000 years "and we won't be around for it".

He said millennium events and functions were already being advertised "with no reference to the availability of people willing to work".

"Workers can't be left out," he said. To be compensated "in a small, modest way would be quite reasonable".

But Mr O'Sullivan flatly rejected the idea. It was already going to cost industry £250 million in lost production for the extra bank holiday on New Year's Eve and IBEC had not objected to that. "For various parties to suggest that there is an excuse for additional premia is completely unreasonable."

Mr Somers says he will arrange to meet IBEC to negotiate on the matter.

Mr Dunne yesterday urged Irish companies to sign IBEC's Pledge 2000 in which they agree to share information with customers and suppliers and to work with them to overcome any equipment or system failures which might arise from the Year 2000 computer problem, the so-called Millennium Bug.

At a conference organised by IBEC and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, he said that "as citizens, employees and employers, we all have an important role in making sure that Ireland Inc. passes this test".