The ESB dispute involving day workers at Ferbane power station has been resolved. A settlement was agreed between management and the day workers unions, SIPTU and the ATGWU, late on Thursday night. As a result the threat to power supplies from renewed unofficial industrial action has been removed.
This followed almost 12 hours of negotiations in Athlone. ATGWU negotiator Mr Denis Rohan said he was happy the procedures agreed "reflect the viewpoint of the staff vis a vis their work".
The dispute began on Monday at Ferbane, where rigging work normally done by a day worker was allocated to someone else when he failed to turn up on time. The dispute rapidly escalated into unofficial strike action that threatened briefly to spread to other stations.
Day workers have been concerned that other grades are encroaching on their work and members of the national day workers association were involved in the settlement talks. Mr Rohan said the terms "provide that designated work in the station will be carried out by the designated day workers".
SIPTU negotiator Mr Tony Dunne said the proposals would meet the needs of day workers across the company. ESB management also welcomed the outcome.