Electricians begin second day of strike action

More than 10,000 electricians are beginning a second day of strike action today as part of a bitter pay dispute with employers.

The electricians, all members of the Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU), began the stoppage yesterday in pursuit of an 11% pay increase that has been overdue for a number of years.

The strike caused major disruption to construction sites yesterday, with many big projects forced to shut down as other workers refused to pass TEEU pickets.

Diageo also went to the High Court seeking an injunction against pickets at the Guinness brewery in Dublin, while Cadbury's says it has had to put its north Dublin workforce on protective notice due to the disruption.

The Construction Industry Federation says its member companies have put around 4,000 striking electricians on protective notice.

The TEEU is insisting that the stoppage will continue until the employers agree to address electricians' concerns.