Bord Gais talks over staff stake

TALKS between Bord Gais unions and management will kick off next week to establish ground rules for workers getting a stake in the state gas company, in return for productivity improvements.

But unions face a difficult task in their push for a 5% shareholding that could be worth more than €50 million, or €70,000 per employee.

SIPTU, which represents 400 of the 700 staff in the company, has joined forces with the TEEU and Amicus to get a deal similar to that hammered out at ESB, where staff hold a 4.9% stake.