Mandate, the shop workers' union, is to consider sanctioning an official strike by members suspended at the Dunnes Stores Terryland branch in Galway, when it reviews the dispute today. The union said last night that an offer by the company to lift the suspensions did not go far enough.
There is now a danger that the dispute, which began with a row about the freshness of a snack sold to a customer at the delicatessen counter in the store, could spread.
The company issued a comprehensive statement on its version of events yesterday. It said a member of staff was suspended on full pay last week pending a disciplinary hearing of allegations of consuming food in the preparation area of the store.
The employee is believed to have eaten a piece to test it after a customer complained that the item was not fresh, and the suspension followed immediately.
The company statement said a disciplinary hearing was arranged for last Thursday. A senior union official and two other members of staff arrived to represent the suspended employee.
It added that Thursday was "one of the busiest days of the year" and the shop-floor union representatives had been scheduled to work. When the company pointed this out, it says the trade union official left.
Immediately afterwards a large number of staff occupied the canteen and were suspended because they made no attempt to use "proper and accepted procedures". The following day unofficial pickets were placed.
The company said it was willing to lift the suspensions on all staff if they returned to normal working. Once this was achieved, the hearing would be rescheduled by arrangement with Mandate.
However, Mandate's industrial officer, Mr John Douglas, said last night the company's offer did not address the central issue, which was the right of the person facing the disciplinary hearing and their union to select who should represent them.
He rejected the company claim that the store was too busy to allow two Mandate shop stewards to attend Thursday's hearing. He said the company had selected the day for the hearing, and the union had been willing to change it.
"They are trying to say how our members should be represented," he said. "Our members need to be reassured that our official and shop stewards will be able to attend that disciplinary hearing."
Informal contacts between the two sides took place yesterday, but there are no plans for formal discussions. Later today the union is expected to sanction an official strike ballot.