TEEU

But the Association of Electrical Contractors of Ireland last night rejected the deal, prompting the TEEU to threaten further strike action.

"However the TEEU will give reasonable space and time to all parties to overcome the current difficulties before making a decision."

The General Secretary of the TEEU, Owen Wills, has claimed the Government supports an EU scheme which could see apprentices qualify in just 17 weeks.

Members of Unite and the TEEU at Limerick-based engineering firm Murphy International had fought to ensure mechanical workers at the company are paid the agreed industry rate.

At least one trade union, the TEEU, is to hold a national meeting for its shop stewards on Wednesday to discuss the issue of work stoppages.

He said: "Aer Lingus find it most regrettable that Siptu has taken this decision to use Aer Lingus customers as leverage in a dispute, for which a way forward is clearly available." Unless an agreement is reached between Aer Lingus and Siptu, along with four other trade unions - Impact, Unite, TEEU and Mandate - staff will stop work between 10am and noon next Monday.

Two other unions, the TEEU and MANDATE, have also voted in favour of industrial action.

Six trade union groups representing the workers - Siptu, Impact, Mandate, the TEEU, Unite and UCATT - have been mandated to serve notice if either company attempts to make changes to their pension scheme without the agreement of staff.

Speaking at the TEEU Biennial Conference in Galway yesterday, SIPTU president Des Geraghty told delegates that regardless of whether a new National Pay Agreement was reached, unions will be focusing on improvement in terms of gender equality and fairness.

"Aer Lingus workers have called on their respective Unions, Unite, Siptu and the Teeu to resist any attempt by the company to impose compulsory redundancies on the Shannon workforce.

A spokesperson for the union TEEU said this morning that members were prepared to sit down and discuss a solution.

Pickets were placed on the entrances to the two plants last Tuesday after the decision to strike by the Irish Cement Group of Unions which includes Siptu, TEEU and Unite.