Door still open to avert winter of discontent

IN THE wake of the pay talks collapse, it would be easy to reach for the cliches and suggest a winter of discontent is looming, with strikes left, right and centre as workers take to the streets for better pay.

However, one thing on which both employers and unions were agreed over the weekend is that there is still time to rescue a deal.

The unions did state publicly that, in the absence of a new national agreement, they would start to lodge individual pay claims for their members shortly.