Talks took place at Iarnrod Eireann, Aer Lingus and the ESB yesterday to avert industrial action over the Christmas holidays. And in a separate dispute, the Irish Medical Organisation issued guidelines for cover by hospital doctors in the event of no agreement being reached on millennium payments in the health service. An award is expected to be announced by the Labour Court on Monday.
An Post has agreed a scale of bonuses for staff required to work on New Year's Eve and Day, ranging from £150 to £600, on top of bank holiday premia. Staff who work will also receive a day off in lieu.
Negotiations at Iarnrod Eireann on the amalgamation of the Connolly No 1 and No 2 depots in Dublin adjourned soon after 6 p.m. and are to resume today. A company spokesman last night said there had been some progress but that "significant difficulties remain".
The union negotiators are due to report back on progress to their members next Tuesday. No further disruption to services is anticipated before Christmas.
Talks were continuing late yesterday between ESB management and engineers. The engineers are seeking significant adjustments in salary structures, which have fallen behind those in the private sector and also within the company.
There are more than 500 engineers in professional and middle management grades but they claim that in many power stations supervisory, craft and shift operatives can earn more. They want their maximum scale raised from less than £41,000 to £53,000. An ESB spokesman said power supplies were not at risk.
Talks are also continuing with Aer Lingus pilots over staffing, leave arrangements and millennium payments.
Meanwhile, the Irish Medical Organisation is expected to resume talks with the Department of Justice today on a revised set of charges for work done by general practitioners on behalf the Garda Siochana.
Last night, the Department said it had made a substantially improved offer on the existing terms, which already provided for a 60 per cent increase in the scale of fees.
This would mean that payments by the Department to the IMO's 1,500 members would rise from £1 million a year to £1.6 million. Besides examining people in drunk driving cases, GPs provide other services ranging from examining road traffic accident casualties, suspected drug abusers and victims of sexual assault.