THE National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) has called on both sides in the FAS dispute to resolve their differences.
On Monday, the director general of FAS, Mr John Lynch warned staff that if they continued their embargo on certifications there could be no further talks on pay and employees would face the prospect of suspension. SIPTU, the main union in FAS, is to begin a strike ballot today seeking a mandate for action if members are suspended.
Mr Eamonn Waters, of the NYCI, said yesterday that the dispute threatened the future job prospects of 16,000 trainees and the many young people on the CE programme.
SIPTU members narrowly rejected a pay deal brokered by the former president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Mr Phil Flynn, which offered them increases ranging from 7 to 27 per cent.