IBM and union to hold last parley

The Australian Services Union will meet with IBM tomorrow as a last effort to talk over the issues which have a small section of workers in Big Blue's Baulkham Hills facility on the brink of a strike.

"We've got a meeting with IBM tomorrow at 7am," an ASU spokesperson told ZDNet.com.au. today.

The union had been meeting with the company before the decision to strike, and the spokesperson said they were glad IBM had not decided to cancel this scheduled meeting after the workers announced their intentions to stop work.

"I was quite concerned that [the meetings] would stop once we notified them of the industrial action," the spokesperson said.

If IBM and the union reached an agreement at the meeting, there would be no need for the strike to occur. However, if the company did not, the workers were prepared to take action, according to the union.

"Nobody wants to take industrial action. It's not good for IBM," the spokesperson said.

Branch secretary Sally McManus has said that a strike would have severe implications for customers such as Westpac or Qantas, but those companies have denied their systems will be majorly impacted.

Notice had been given to IBM on Monday of the strike, according to the union. Three days time has to pass between giving notice and the strike's start, which means a strike could happen from 12am Friday morning, the union said.

IBM declined to comment further on the issue.