Aer Lingus management and SIPTU officials are continuing to meet tonight in a last-ditch attempt to avoid potential chaos at the airline on Monday.
The company has threatened to suspend staff who refuse to cooperate fully with new work practices that it is introducing with or without union agreement.
Meanwhile, Cityjet has called for tougher industrial relations rules to prevent what they call 'wildcat actions' by air traffic controllers, who are due to go on strike this Thursday.
Late last night, Aer Lingus management invited SIPTU to talks in a final attempt to resolve their differences before potential industrial chaos on Monday.
SIPTU says it would prefer if the talks were under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, but that it was willing to meet the company.
Up to now, the company has ruled out particpating in any further third party talks - for example at the Labour Court.
They say they have been talking in every available forum for 14 months, and must now implement their cost cuts.
They have stressed that today's negotiations will not be under the auspices of any third party, though both sides will be assisted by Grant Thornton.
They are the forensic accountants who have been calculating the cost implications for both sides of proposed changes.
SIPTU has accused the airline of deliberately provoking a strike. They are balloting for industrial action and warn of a very long and bitter dispute.
The controllers' 24-hour strike this Thursday could cause serious disruption for up to 90,000 passengers.
Tens of thousands of passengers could be affected if agreement is not reached.
