Tough talks needed to avert chaos

A winter of bitter discontent is looming on the industrial relations front as demands for salary increases gain momentum in the vacuum left

With employers and unions still diametrically opposed on this vexed question, it was entirely predictable that a rash of wage demands would break out.

Ominously, the first signs of a free-for-all are now emerging amid a series of headline-setting claims, despite ongoing efforts to kick-start a new wage deal.