The government says talks are continuing in a last ditch effort to avert a threatened bus drivers’ strike this weekend.

Unite the Union has warned that 10 days of industrial action will begin this Saturday (February 21) in a dispute over premium rates of pay and proposed changes to terms and conditions.

Bus Vannin is drawing up contingency plans should the strike go ahead.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, the Isle of Man Trades Union Council said no agreement had been reached.

It said: ‘We have not agreed to scale down industrial action. We have not softened our position.

‘The mandate from members is clear. The ballot was clear and notice was clear. The issues remain the same - pay and the proposed changes to sick pay and holidays. We will not move on those. End of.’

Drivers who are members of Unite voted by a clear majority in December last year in favour of taking industrial action following negotiations over premium rates and the proposed modernisation of terms and conditions.

Negotiations, however, are continuing between the Department of Infrastructure and Unite.

In a statement, the DoI said on Thursday it had made a fourth offer to the union following this week’s conciliation talks at the offices of the Manx Industrial Relations Service - and it still hoped that a strike could be avoided.

It said: ‘Discussions, which aim to reach a constructive resolution continue to be facilitated by the Manx Industrial Relations Service, and the department hopes that the planned action for this Saturday may be suspended, to enable these discussions to continue in a positive way.

‘Further updates will be provided as soon as they are available.’

An urgent question on the issue was raised in Tynwald this week by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse.