Dublin bus drivers have deferred next Monday's strike following an invitation to attend the Labour Court. They were threatening industrial action over a 20 per cent pay claim.
The drivers are represented by SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers' Union.
SIPTU's regional secretary, Mr Noel Dowling, said that the Labour Court's commitment to hear submissions next week and report back within 10 days had been a major factor in securing the deferment of strike action.
The NBRU general secretary, Mr Peter Bunting, said that his bus branch committee had accepted the Labour Court invitation because of the "expeditious nature" of the process. However, he warned that failure to resolve the dispute at Labour Court level would lead to an "all-out dispute".
Meanwhile, Bus Eireann drivers are to ballot next week on a Labour Court recommendation which increases their top basic rate of pay from £280 a week to £300 and offers up to two years' salary in compensation for earnings lost as a result of new work practices. They are expected to reject the terms.
Mainline train-drivers are due to ballot on their new viability plan early next month, but a new union, the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association, is threatening legal action if it it not consulted first. The proposals offer drivers a consolidated salary of £29,500 for working a 48-hour week.