Ahern admits ESB bills have risen significantly

ELECTRICITY bills have risen dramatically over the past 10 years, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern admitted yesterday.

“We have gone from a position of having low ESB costs a decade ago to very high,” he told the Dáil.

“Energy issues affect the public so we must get cheaper, effective and efficient energy from electricity companies. The issue is hugely important for the future competitiveness of the economy.”

He was responding to questions from Labour leader Eamon Gilmore about the possibility of a strike by ESB workers.

Earlier this week, ESB union members voted by 9-1 in favour of strike action if the Government proceeds with plans to break up the company. The ESB retains ownership of Eirgrid, which operates the national grid — the basic infrastructure for power supply such as pylons. The ESB uses this infrastructure to generate and distribute electricity.

The Government wants to separate the ESB and Eirgrid to ensure greater competition in the sector.

But the unions believe such a move would wipe €1 billion off the value of the ESB and threaten its viability.

Mr Gilmore said there seemed to be a deteriorating industrial relations climate in recent weeks, evidenced by the Dublin Bus strike and the threat of strikes by Aer Lingus and Irish Prison Service staff.

“I am particularly concerned about the threatened strike in the ESB which, if it comes about and results in power cuts, will cause much hardship for householders and businesses, particularly if it occurs during the winter period,” said Mr Gilmore.

The threatened strike was unusual in that management and unions appeared to be on the same side, said Mr Gilmore. He asked what the Government was doing to avert a strike.

Mr Ahern said it would be several weeks before the decision to strike was ratified. A strike before Christmas is therefore, highly unlikely.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan had met both management and the unions to discuss the issues.

“Close liaison is being maintained with ESB management and contacts are ongoing within union circles,” said Mr Ahern.

The united front being presented by the ESB group of unions hides a fairly fractious relationship behind the scenes.

Ironically, it is a battle between the union, Unite, and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, which threatens to drive a wedge between the sides. News of the disharmony emerges just a day after the group of unions voted 90% in favour of strike action if the Government tries to break up the ESB. The bone of contention concerns the recent strike action by 200 Polish TEEU members who were working for a subcontractor brought in to carry out a €350 million refurbishment at Moneypoint in Co Clare. At the time, all the other ESB workers who were members of TEEU were slated to join the action. The TEEU claimed it had the support of the other unions.

With the dispute long resolved, Brendan Ogle of Unite/ATGWU wrote to TEEU about the action.

In a letter quoted by Industrial Relations News, Mr Ogle wrote: “It is not acceptable that you conceived of this dispute without recourse to the ESB Group of Unions of which your union is an affiliate.

“It is not acceptable that you then publicly stated that you had the support of the ESB group of unions in this dispute. It is not acceptable that you refused to seek such support and, it would appear, wrongly stated that you received it.

“Alternatively, if this is incorrect, could you please advise regarding whom within the ESB Group of Unions sanctioned this support.”

He said painstaking work put into reforming the Group of Unions had been put in jeopardy and he said it was not acceptable for any signatory union to behave independently of the group.

“Further, this trade union could not be party to a group of unions where a single affiliate, acting independently of the group, elicits support from within the group through a process which excluded this trade union, were it to turn out that is the case.” He concluded by saying he would be grateful if “the origins of your stated support” from the ESB Group of Unions could be clarified.

The TEEU’s letter of response from Eamon Devoy was equally blunt.

“The assertions contained in your letter are inaccurate, inappropriate and without foundation,” he said.