SIPTU members at the ESB have voted by more than four to one for industrial action in pursuit of a 28 per cent pay claim. Shop stewards are meeting today to discuss tactics and are expected to serve two weeks' strike notice tomorrow. If the strike goes ahead it could cause power cuts. The company has appealed to the union to use its internal arbitration procedures.
SIPTU branch secretary Mr Tony Dunne said yesterday the 84 per cent vote for industrial action "reflects the mood across the ESB at the present time, because of the delays in concluding negotiations on restructuring". The original target date for restructuring was last October. This was deferred until March 31st and has now been set for the end of May.
The SIPTU claim is made up of 20 per cent for conceding workplace change at local "category" level and 8 per cent for "pan" issues such as profit sharing. Mr Dunne said it did not include the 3 per cent "early starters" increase or the 2 per cent cost-of-living rise due under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
"The ESB has been talking for the last 18 months about change," he said. "The talks have now become too fragmented. We only have to look at what's happening in Aer Lingus to see the dangers.
"The company wants massive change, including 2,000 redundancies and power station closures." Mr Dunne said he would prefer a situation where everyone was dealt with "equally and fairly", but in the absence of a unified approach, "we are going to do what we are entitled as a union to do and look for more money ourselves in return for concessions".
If SIPTU takes industrial action it may well be joined by the ESB Officers' Association. The two unions could cause serious disruption to the company and its power supplies.
SIPTU's move will concentrate minds. The Government is pressurising the company into speeding up the restructuring programme and ensuring electricity supplies keep pace with economic growth and the National Development Plan.