IBM's Baulkham Hills deal due today

IBM is set to hand a new employment offer to some employees at its Baulkham Hills facility today after workers there decided to call off a planned strike to allow negotiations to go ahead between the company and the Australian Services Union (ASU).

Last week, 45 workers had been threatening to carry out rolling four-hour stoppages for better pay and working conditions after they determined via secret ballot that they were prepared to consider a series of industrial actions.

However, last Thursday, a last minute meeting with IBM averted the threat, with the company saying it would present a new offer to employees by today.

When the offer comes through, union members will consider it in a meeting this evening.

According to ASU branch secretary Sally McManus, the strike could have taken a toll on IBM's major customers such as Westpac and Qantas.

However, those businesses did not think a strike would affect them seriously. A spokesperson for IBM was unable to say whether a firm offer had gone out to employees, and the union did not return requests for comment in time for publication.