ESB technicians set to strike as talks collapse
In a separate worsening dispute, last night SIPTU served two weeks’ notice of industrial action on Irish Ferries after management’s rejection of a set of proposals designed to resolve the dispute over outsourcing.
The ESB claimed talks could not go ahead until it had written confirmation from the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) that the strike threat had been withdrawn.
ESB management said it had faxed the union yesterday, but had received no reply. However, the ATGWU Network Technician Association claimed the ESB had written to them at 8.33am yesterday to inform them of the cancellation of the 11am meeting.
In a statement, it said: “At every stage of this dispute we have made it clear that we are open to talks at any time. At this point there are no offers of talks from ESB, and in order to uphold the mandate of our members we have no option but to take official strike action.”
If the strike goes ahead it will be the first industrial action within the ESB since 1991. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said there was no need for it and unions needed to “take a step back and ease the situation”.
Although a power blackout is thought unlikely, it does open the possibility that some parts of the country may lose power.
There will be no change to power generation but downed lines and other problems may not be repaired in the strike.
The row centres on the disputed role of 1,700 outside contractors employed by the ESB.
An agreement outlining the role of contractors and the training of apprentices ended in July.
The union has claimed that outside contractors are performing core work as part of the €3.6 billion overhaul of the network, squeezing out apprentices.
The ESB claimed its internal mechanisms for dealing with such disputes had not been utilised.
Some union members yesterday broke rank and called for the strike to be dropped.
The ATGWU, SIPTU and the TEEU meet today.
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