LRC chairs talks in Eircom dispute

The Labour Relations Commission is chairing talks this evening in the Eircom dispute.

The official conciliation service is hoping to help unions and management find a way through the impasse over the 2% national pay rise.

Eircom's been trying to link it to changes in work practices but the unions are opposed.

Strike notice has already been served against the company.

The unions have until Thursday before any strike action can commence, and these talks are a last ditch effort to prevent what the unions have promised will be a severe withdrawal of labour affecting all customers of Eircom fixed and broadband services from taking place.

Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Communication Workers Union is not hopeful of a successful outcome to the talks, but hopes the planned action can be averted, as he believes: "Strike action is a failure of the industrial relations process."