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By Andy McCue, 5 September 2003 17:14

NEWS UK and Irish IT staff at the Bank of Ireland are voting on an all out strike in the event that independent recommendations for terms of transfer to Hewlett Packard as part of a proposed $600m outsourcing deal are rejected. Members of the Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) are this week voting on recommendations made by an independent arbitrator, Kieran Mulvey, on pensions rights, severance pay and union recognition. Over 500 IT staff are affected by the deal, with around 145 of those employees from the bank's UK Bristol & West operations. The results of the ballot are expected on Monday. Concessions that Mulvey has agreed with both the Bank of Ireland and HP include a one-off transfer payment and job security for two years for those who transfer to HP with an option for redeployment within the bank for five years after that, as well as some union recognition and the protection of pension rights. But the IBOA has revealed that members are also being asked to vote on a motion for all out strike in case Mulvey's concessions are rejected. A statement said: "This ballot will be conducted simultaneously again based on legal advice to ensure members fully understand the importance and implication of this decision." The union told silicon.com last month that the bank faces "total war" with staff if agreement is not reached. The Bank of Ireland has agreed that no final contracts with HP will be signed prior to the vote by union members.