Thousands of ESB workers look certain to go on strike next week after the ESB Officers' Association (ESBOA) executive committee reaffirmed its committment to industrial action today.
From next Monday, 2,300 ESBOA members, most of whom are administrative, clerical and technical staff, will go on strike in the first industrial dispute at the company for over a decade. Electricity blackouts may result.
The ESBOA General Secretary, Mr Tony Dunne, said the strike notice served by his union still stands following this morning's meeting. He said that the issues remain unresolved despite the efforts of the Irish Congress of Trade Union's general secretary, Mr David Beggs, to broker a settlement.
"The issues to be resolved are clear and urgent engagement is needed if industrial action is to be averted," Mr Dunne said.
ESB workers are looking for an 18.5 per cent rise in pay and a larger stake in the company. ESB unions already own 4.9 per cent of the group but are looking for a 20 per cent shareholding.
Workers voted in favour of strike action three weeks ago when some 8,300 employees were balloted after talks between management and unions broke down.
The other unions decided not to serve strike action on the company to give Mr Begg time to raise their concerns with the company.
The Labour Party's communications spokesman, Mr Tommy Broughan, described the impending strike action "regrettable, yet inevitable, given Minister Dermot Ahern's failure to intervene to solve the crisis that has been looming for weeks."
Fine Gael's Mr Paul Kehoe called for "every effort" to be made to ensure that consumers are not deprived of electricity. He accused Mr Ahern of failing to intervene and prevent the strike happening.
"Minister Ahern must intervene immediately and sit down with both management and employees to ensure that this industrial action is averted," Mr Kehoe said. "Or else, yet again, the Irish consumer will have to bear the brunt of the failure of public sector managers and workers to resolve disputes."