TRANSPORT unions in Northern Ireland are set to go ahead with a 72-hour strike from February 27, after rejecting the latest “lowball offer” from Translink, unions said today.

Thousands of bus and rail members of GMB, Unite and Siptu will walk out after talks broke down with Translink on Thursday afternoon.

Translink offered 5 per cent which was reportedly immediately rejected by the unions as soon as it was put on the table despite the firm billing it a “final offer.”

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, a union spokesperson said: “They’re claiming it’s their final offer, we know it’s not their final offer, it’s lowball. They want to resolve this.”

A joint statement from the unions said they were “ready to enter further dialogue with the company if it wishes to avoid the action” by improving the offer on the table.

Unions are reportedly aiming for a pay offer between 6.5 per cent and 8 per cent before they will consider calling off the industrial action and resolving the pay dispute which has been rumbling on since last autumn.

If there is no improved offer the unions say they will announce further strike dates in order to “ramp up the pressure.”