Panto in doubt over strike

THE opening night of Cork’s biggest Christmas pantomime was in doubt again last night after last-ditch pay talks between Opera House staff and management collapsed.

SIPTU reissued strike notice for next Tuesday, December 13, the first night of Babes in the Wood, after a three-hour meeting yesterday afternoon failed to resolve what it said are low pay issues.

The union also withdrew from Labour Relations Commission-brokered talks in Dublin tomorrow, organised should local talks fail.