Government and union negotiators met at the Workplace Relations Commission on Monday for their first proper session of pay talks. Until now the two camps had managed to stay apart, so the meeting marks a genuine return to the table. A union leader involved in the process believes a deal on public sector pay could be wrapped up within days. Neither side appears willing to let the process drag on much longer. The WRC has hosted earlier rounds of talks that ended short of agreement, and Monday's session came after mounting pressure to settle. A breakthrough this week would defuse the threat of industrial action across hospitals, schools and other public services.