Union criticises ESB invitation to meeting

The ESB today invited two of its staff unions to engage in talks on a 28 per cent pay rise ahead of strike action planned for later this month.

A company spokesman told ireland.commanagement had written to both SIPTU and ESBOA (Electricity Supply Board Officers Association) requesting them to engage in dialogue.

The unions, representing 2,500 staff – almost 30 per cent of the workforce – will begin continuous strike action on Monday, April 23rd if the situation remains unsolved.

He said the company had received strike notice from the unions and was anxious convene talks concerning their pay claims.

Responding, SIPTU’s Mr Tony Dunne said: "It would require a stretch of the imagination to see the management’s letter as an invitation to talks.

He said: "It was more of a chastisement and was not helpful in addressing the substantive issue of the pay claim."

Nevertheless he had agreed in principle to attend talks with company management.

The other ESB staff unions, including the ATGWU and the TEEU, are believed to be considering whether to support the pay claim, a move that would almost certainly lead to widespread power cuts.