DIFFERENCES have been resolved between the ESB and the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications over the restructuring of the power industry to meet competition.
The company had threatened not to endorse the £270 million Cost and Competitiveness Review (CCR) if problems remained.
But the CCR could still be rejected by key groups of workers within the power stations where shop stewards, representing 600 day workers, have opposed the terms on offer.
The resolution comes less than a fortnight before the 9,200 workers begin balloting on proposals that could see 2,000 full time jobs shed by the state power company. ,The ESB group of unions has already held meetings urging members to accept.
But the unions had also indicated to the Department that they might withdraw their CCR endorsement if the differences between the company and the Government are not resolved. These differences centre on the power procurer. The Department and the Minister, Mr Lowry, had wanted the procurer to operate within an ESB subsidiary.
The ESB was concerned that its involvement with the procurer could jeopardise its chances of bidding for power generation contracts, including the £85 million peat fired station due to be built in the east midlands. The ESB is now satisfied that arrangements to keep the power procurer separate from itself will allow it to compete for contracts.
It "signed off" on the CCR on Wednesday, and the Department representatives did so on Thursday.
All ESB unions have already agreed the CCR and are recommending the overall package. But SIPTU is not expected to call for acceptance.
Already SIPTU negotiators for shift workers in the power stations have pressed for rejection, although their counterparts in the ATGWU, which represents the bulk of the 600 workers involved, have advised acceptance.
The ballot begins on March 28th and concludes on April 10th. The count takes place on April 11th.