Dunnes Stores management and unions are to meet next Thursday for talks aimed at averting a pre-Christmas strike.
The unions have already decided to ballot members on industrial action because of the company's failure to accept a Labour Court ruling on pay rates for Sunday working over the pre-Christmas shopping period. Last night the Mandate general secretary, Mr Owen Nulty, said next week's talks would not affect arrangements for a ballot.
"We have made it clear to the company that we are willing to discuss alternatives to the Labour Court ruling", he said. "But the terms on offer must be at least as favourable as those proposed by the court."