THE ESB group of unions yesterday voted to allow group secretary Brendan Ogle to continue to lead talks despite an investigation into controversial comments.
Mr Ogle described his members as “spoilt” and “very privileged” in a speech made this year. The comments were posted online in May, but have only emerged in recent days.
The group of unions, meeting yesterday, voted against a motion of no confidence in Mr Ogle to suspend him during the investigation.
According to an informed source, a counter-motion was passed by the group by 15 to one.
In a statement on the ESB group of unions website yesterday, Mr Ogle said the matter would “now be considered by an independent investigation with the full co-operation of all concerned” .
During a 20-minute speech to a meeting of republican group Eirigi members, Mr Ogle, who is on secondment from Unite, said: “I’ve got a problem with the people that I represent who have power, because they also have money. They’re also – and they won’t mind me saying this because I say it to them often enough – they’re also spoilt.”
He said previous governments got industrial peace by throwing “a bit of gravy around...a bit of overtime”, meaning those “in good jobs suddenly are in great jobs”.
“They are buying an apartment in Bulgaria, they have two or three cars, the kids are going to private schools,” he said.