Essential services face the threat of disruption because of pay disputes in the public sector. ESB engineers have served strike notice on the company for next Wednesday, and health service unions have warned employers that only minimum cover will be provided over the new year.
Talks to resolve both disputes are due early next week. In the health services sector the Labour Court is to hold a hearing on Tuesday. Talks at the Labour Relations Commission failed to achieve a breakthrough yesterday.
The unions are seeking £100 an hour for health service staff required to work through the millennium holiday. Health boards and hospitals have told thousands of health service workers not to make holiday arrangements and make themselves available in case of problems related to either Y2K difficulties or millennium celebrations. However, they have made no offer on pay, or on-call allowances.
After yesterday's talks Mr David Hughes of the Irish Nurses' Organisation said that time was running out to reach an amicable arrangement. "It's all down to the Labour Court. We have informed management that normal minimum staffing will be available but no more than that," he said. The problem could be resolved if the Labour Court set an acceptable rate next week.
IMPACT secretary Mr Kevin Callinan said if it was made worthwhile for people to work they would do so. However, his union would defend the principle that no one could be expected to work unless on a voluntary basis, or as part of their normal roster.
The ESB engineers' union, MSF, has served strike notice in pursuit of higher salary scales. MSF official Mr Paul Cronin said members were also concerned that the role of engineers in the company was being "downgraded and eroded".
Most ESB engineers earn between £18,000 and £43,000, although a significant minority earn £50,000 or more. The union wants the maximum of the basic scale raised to that for principal officers and senior scientific officers in the public service, which is £53,000.
Both sides meet on Monday.