ESB technicians to return to work

THE strike committee of the ATGWU, which represents 1,200 striking ESB technicians, last night agreed to lift its pickets and instruct its members to return to work today.

The development came after the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) intervened in the dispute.

For three days ATGWU pickets were placed on various centres throughout the country over the ESB's use of outside contractors in the company's €3.6 billion network renewal programme.