IRISH Life has begun issuing notices of dismissal to its field sales force, who are refusing to comply with new work structures.

The company says refusal to work the new structures will ultimately lead to the sacking of all its sales force.

More dismissals are expected today but unions and management will meet tomorrow to discuss the row.

The move to dismiss staff followed disciplinary hearings yesterday when around 15 employees of the 420 strong staff were asked to implement new work practices but refused.

MSF, the union which represents 90 per cent of the affected workforce, last night described Irish Life's action as extremely unhelpful.

"Many of the workers who were served with dismissal notices yesterday have over 39 years service," said Mr John Tierney, MSF national secretary.

"These deadlines are not helping anybody."

Dismissals become effective on Friday week, August 16th. Irish Life says it called the formal disciplinary meetings following the rejection by the sales force (known as PFAs) of their negotiating committee's recommendations to break the deadlock in the long running dispute.

Irish Life chief executive in Ireland, Ms Jean Wood, said yesterday she regretted that the company had been "forced" to begin issuing dismissal notices.

She said changes in work practices were necessary to provide better services.

"The refusal of one group to accept compromise proposals agreed by their own negotiating committee to progress this matter will not be allowed to frustrate that effort," she said.

"To do otherwise would be to allow one group to jeopardise the livelihoods of all the employees in this company.

An Irish Life spokesman said last night that the company would approach tomorrow's talks with an open mind. However, he said the company could not assume that the talks would resolve the matter.

"Therefore it is pointless to suspend the disciplinary hearings," he said.

He said the deadline for introducing new work arrangements had already been postponed four times and could not be postponed indefinitely.

If some way forward is found at tomorrow's meeting, the company says it will review the dismissal notices.

Mr John Tierney said the dismissal notices are creating a very negative reaction. "It is tantamount to the company taking industrial action while people are still willing to talk.

Mr Tierney said the union was prepared to talk to the company but maintained that Irish Life had in effect, "put the PFAs on the back burner".

The company had 24 meetings with its sales force executives and was trying to introduce very radical changes. There had only been 10 meetings with the PFAs.

All of Irish Life's sales force grades are to meet today to discuss their position in advance of tomorrow's meeting.

MSF has warned that sacking the PFAs is tantamount to a lockout. Although a strike is unlikely, some form of public action could take place, which would be very damaging to Irish Life's image, industry sources say.

Fianna Fail Enterprise and Employment spokeswoman, Mrs Mary O'Rourke, called on both sides to "pull back from the brink". She said the situation was critical and had reached a serious point, apparently because of lack of trust between staff and management.

She said the settlement being sought by management would mean a considerable alteration in the status of the work done by over 420 workers. She urged staff to show a "generosity of spirit" and for management to come up with an improved offer to resolve the dispute.