The government's offer of 6.75% was turned down last week and with the new increased offer, unions have just 48 hours to accept.

The government has made a new offer to the public sector unions in the hopes that the strike action on Thursday, November 12 will be called off.

In fact, their latest offer has a time limit, and if the strike goes ahead in 48 hours, the deal will be off the table.

It would guarantee wage increases for up to 10.5% for every public sector worker over the course of 2.5 years and takes us up to 2029.

Mary Regan, Political Editor of the Irish Independent, joined The Claire Byrne Show to explain what this deal means and how the unions have reacted so far. 

She said: "The unions are going back in to talk with this independent mediator, and so far we don't really have any indication what they're thinking on this deal.

"[However] Kevin Callinan [told] members yesterday that they should go ahead and plan for rallies nationwide on Thursday.

"But it's down to the wire now. The government has made their move and unions have to consider what they're going to do either today or tomorrow.

"Both sides are meeting with this independent government appointed body today. The government has made its move, so I think the ball is in the court now with unions to say what way they are going to respond to this.

"The unions had wanted pay to be addressed earlier on or in the start of the process before they got talking about other things.

So I think what would be expected on the government side, at least, is that the unions will indicate whether they're willing to accept this offer, whether they're willing to ballot their members on this offer or not, and then they can sort of get around talking about the other stuff.

"If this pay offer is in any way acceptable or in some ways acceptable, then I think the government will be looking for an indication that the strike will be called off.

"As someone said to me yesterday, are we really going to have public sector workers out picketing and rallying on Thursday for calling for something that they've already been offered?"

Ms Regan hypothesised that if the strike were to be called off, it would need to be done today, and that people are already making preparations for the strike day, including taking the day off to look after their children because the schools will be closed.

"And I think that's why the government had to make their move over the weekend," Ms Regan added. "But yeah, it is close to Thursday strike and I think it would have to be called off today if it was going to happen, because tomorrow [is] very close.

"I think you would need to have an indication very soon what way the unions are thinking about this."

Main image: Strike protest outside the Mater Hospital Pic: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie