MANDATE members at the South African embassy lobbied a delegation of South African MPs visiting Leinster House yesterday.
The union's divisional organiser, Mr Albert Murphy, asked the leader of the delegation, Mr Vincent Smith of the African National Congress, to intervene in their dispute on union recognition.
Mr Smith said the delegation, which represents the standing committe on public accounts in South Africa, had no remit to intervene.
However he said committee members would take note of the union's comments "and discuss it within our own circle".
Mr Nigel Bruce of the Democratic Alliance said he would be willing to meet MANDATE in a personal capacity and the union is expected to take up his offer.
Yesterday staff at the embassy said that they were concerned about the new ambassador's style of management as well as the failure of the embassy to pay them any increases since 1998.
They said that under the South African Bill of Rights they were entitled to representation by a union.