Con Scanlon not pressurised into leaving post - Report

Con Scanlon is to resign from his position as general secretary of the Communications Workers' Union, but has told the Irish Independent that he was not pressurised into leaving the post and that it was entirely his own decision.

The paper says Mr Scanlon informed the president of the union yesterday morning and plans to leave the post in around three months' time, after a replacement has been found.

His departure follows strong criticism of the extent of his pay, share allocation and pension deal from eircom, details of which emerged last month in the run-up to the flotation of the former state telecommunications company on the stock market.

Scanlon gets annual directors fees of €106,000, and has received a lump sum of €230,000 from the company.

He earned €560,000 from his shares on its flotation and is to receive pension payments from eircom over the next 10 years worth €1m.