Union wants apology for 'black-leg' reference

The The Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) has called on ATGWU official Brendan Ogle to apologise for referring to TEEU members as “black-leg” workers last Friday.

ATGWU industrial secretary Brendan Ogle was referring to a call by the TEEU not to support their strike at the ESB.

Mr Yeats said today: “He hasn’t apologised for it since, so perhaps he would consider apologising for calling people black legs.”

Referring to the development as “Thatcherite”, Mr Ogle added: ’“I would be very disappointed that the Irish trade union movement has sunk so low as to invite its members to offer black leg labour in defiance of an official trade dispute.”

Mr Yeats said there was deep concern among TEEU members at what Mr Ogle said.

“They are very disappointed and dismayed that such comments should have come out of an official,” he added.

The TEEU expects most of its striking workers to return to work today.

They said its members had only supported the ATGWU strike up to now because of personal camaraderie.

The ATGWU industrial action, which is into its second day today, is over the use of outside contractors.

Several hundred TEEU workers yesterday supported their ATGWU colleagues at pickets on ESB depots.

TEEU official Bobby Yeats said of his members: “They are supporting their colleagues. They are not supporting the strike.

“I would expect a sizeable majority will go back today and I would hope that within the next couple of days that that would keep increasing.

“There will be more in work today than yesterday.”