Talks between National Irish Bank and the Irish Bank Officials' Association aimed at preventing a strike due to begin on Monday next are to resume this morning.

The two sides held talks yesterday. A spokeswoman for the bank said it was still hopeful the strike could be averted. All 61 branches of the bank could be affected by the strike.

The threatened strike follows the rejection by the association of new performance-related pay scales which, it claims, would leave most junior bank officials on pay scales of £11,560 to £21,178 a year. Senior officials can earn up to £33,534. over new pay scales.