ESB could lose thousands of retail customers if strike proceeds

The ESB faces losing tens of thousands of retail customers if a threatened strike by the energy company’s workers goes ahead.

The country’s largest retail industry body, Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) has said it will do all it can to encourage employers across its own sector and the wider economy to remove their business from ESB to a “more market-focused energy provider” in the event that strike goes ahead after Dec 16.

“What the last week has taught us is that in ESB/ Electric Ireland, the union and staff have no understanding of the real world and the harsh economy we live in today,” said David Fitzsimons, REI chief executive.

“Trading over the Christmas period will determine whether businesses survive or cease to trade.

“A company which demonstrates such a culture of ignorance and opulence is one which should not be supported,” he said.

Mr Fitzsimons said his organisation, which has 1,100 members representing 11,000 stores, had been inundated with calls from its 1,100 retail members demanding it take the stand against what was happening in ESB.

“We urge (Energy) Minister Pat Rabbitte to intervene with emergency legislation to prevent this state network monopoly from holding the country to ransom.

“A precedent has already been set preventing the gardaí from strike action and a similar legislative intervention is required to stop this assault on the Irish state. If the strike proceeds the future commercial viability of ESB/Electric Ireland is questionable.”

Retail Excellence Ireland to pull all business from ESB if they strike. I'm sure most of the country will follow suit.Brainless action

— O Farrell Opticians (@LaoisOptician) November 25, 2013

The ESB said it acknowledged the “potentially serious impact” of the situation for all customers adding it had not been advised of the nature of any proposed action.

“However, should any action have the potential to impact on customers we will make every effort to keep the public informed in advance and to minimise any disruption caused,” it said.

Meanwhile, Brendan Ogle, the secretary of the ESB group of unions which has threatened action over the company’s handling of a €1.6bn deficit in the pension scheme, has admitted there is a potential for “all-out” strike which would be highly detrimental to services.

However, he rejected suggestions that the unions were holding the country to ransom over workers’ demands.

“The people being held to ransom here are the 4,000 people in the pension scheme who have an employer who is saying to them “we are going to take your money every week, we are going to wipe away your pension and if you defend yourself or do anything about it, the Irish public and the Irish media will turn on you”,” Mr Ogle told Newstalk radio yesterday.

Management and unions are due to meet at 2pm on Thursday.