ESB workers at the Rhode power station in Co. Offaly are being encouraged to reconsider the terms of a redundancy package costing an estimated €20 million, before a statutory "cooling off" period elapses on March 9th. On the face of it, the severance package is extraordinarily generous, the conduct of management remarkably submissive and the behaviour of the workers excessive.
No electricity has been produced at Rhode for almost two years, following an explosion at the plant. Yet 104 staff members have turned up for non-existing work since May 2001, and have been fully paid. In recent months, they have twice rejected redundancy or redeployment offers and are in open defiance of their trade unions.
At a time when employees in the exposed sectors of the economy are worrying about the future of their jobs, the behaviour at Rhode reflects the hold ESB workers have traditionally exercised over the rest of the economy. Government and management have avoided confrontation because of the damage a strike could cause in a monopoly, electricity-generating situation. As a result, workers have enjoyed extremely good pay and conditions. When power plants were shut, it happened slowly and at a huge cost.
Sixteen years elapsed between the mothballing of the old Poolbeg generating station in Dublin and its final closure in 1999. It took two years of non-production to close the Ferbane station in County Offaly. And, for the past six months, 14 workers have been turning up at a non-functioning plant at Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry.
The threat of industrial action, or of wildcat pickets, is enough to cause serious concern at the highest level in Government and in the ESB. But, with competition in the industry being forced by the EU Commission and the closure of a number of other small generating plants imminent, the Rhode nettle must be grasped.
The redundancy package, recommended by the unions, would have given workers between €100,000 and € 250,000. Following its rejection last week, management withdrew its terms and replaced them with a standard,voluntary severance/redeployment offer. But the original deal can still be accessed.
The board of the ESB will meet next month when it is expected to announce the closure of the plant in early April. In the meantime, the Rhode workers should use the time available to reconsider their position.