Talks to avert a threatened national strike by more than 1,100 fire-fighters are scheduled to resume in Cork on Monday. The strike is due to begin on May 15th.
Dublin, Cork and Limerick will be affected most if the strike goes ahead, because they are the only local authorities totally dependent on full-time fire crews. Part-time fire-fighters have concluded agreements with local managements and are not involved in the dispute.
This is the second time in less than a year that a national strike has been threatened by full-time fire-fighters after talks broke down at local level.
SIPTU Cork branch secretary Mr Gene Mealy said yesterday he was still "searching for a solution", but there were significant difficulties to be overcome if the strike was to be called off.
Members in Cork had voted by 121-to-one for strike action.
According to Mr Mealy, agreement had been reached with local management on 13 points of productivity when the offer was suddenly withdrawn last February and extra demands produced.
SIPTU's national fire-fighters' committee decided yesterday to ballot members across the State for industrial action in support of Cork if next week's talks fail.
Dublin branch secretary Mr Paul Smith said full-time fire-fighters in other local authorities were awaiting the outcome in Cork to conclude their own talks and patience had run out.
Last June a national strike was narrowly averted in Dublin when 850 members of the city's fire brigade won increases worth £2,900 a year plus £8,000 in arrears.
This was in return for agreeing a 13-point productivity plan. The arrears were for payments due since 1986.
The fire-fighters are entitled to 9 per cent in return for productivity because of a linkage with the Garda. But negotiations have been so slow the Garda have received a further 4 per cent since talks began.
Management in Cork has declined to comment before Monday's talks. However, reliable sources said senior management believe less productivity has been conceded in Cork than Dublin for the 9 per cent.