The Labour Court has called both sides in the Tesco pay dispute to talks tomorrow evening. This is just 39 hours before strike action is due to begin, writes Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent.
If industrial action goes ahead 75 stores in the Republic could close on Friday in the first of a series of one-day strikes.
The National Implementation Body called on both sides to return to the Labour Court last week. A breakdown in talks over the weekend meant unions and the Labour Court were not fully briefed on NIB plans.
Mandate national industrial officer Mr John Douglas said it would not withdraw strike notice ahead of the talks. SIPTU adopted the same stance. Tesco's hourly rates are lower than those of its main competitors, but are compensated for by a share option scheme and paid breaks. A Tesco spokesman criticised the unions for not balloting members on the offer - a rise in the starting rate from £4.85 an hour to £5.14 and a top increase from £7.41 to £7.60 an hour.