The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) has intervened in the row which is threatening to disrupt bus services in Dublin from this weekend.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said it would accept an invitation to attend talks at the LRC tomorrow.
Dublin Bus also said it would take part in the talks tomorrow.
The NBRU is proposing to hold a one day strike on Saturday in protest at cost-saving plans by the company to cut 290 jobs, including what it says is the sacking of 160 drivers.
The dispute could affect services for about 450,000 passengers.
In a statement NBRU assistant general secretary Dermot O’Leary said the union would “look positively” at suspending its planned industrial action on Saturday if management agreed to defer its plans for compulsory redundancies.
Dublin Bus said it was hopeful that agreement would be reached between all parties without any disruption to customers.
However it said its planned cost reduction measures were essential for the viability of the company and that it had no choice but to implement these on March 1st 2009.
“Dublin Bus is facing a very serious and challenging financial position in 2009 which it must take urgent action to address. The company projects losses of €31 million in 2009 unless its cost effectiveness plan is implemented”, it said.
This evening Siptu said it would also attend the LRC process.
Willie Noone, Sitpu’s Dublin Bus Branch Organiser, said the union only balloted its members for industrial action as it was left no alternative because “the company was insisting on introducing its Cost Effectiveness Plans next Sunday, March 1st".
He said: “It was doing so although the agreed dispute resolution procedures had not been exhausted.”
Mr Noone added that the union is optimistic a formula to avert industrial action can be agreed as part of the LRC talks.
