ESB unions are to ballot their 8,300 members on industrial action which could include widespread electricity blackouts.
The result of the ballot of eight different unions will be known in early May and sources believe the motion calling for industrial action will be passed by a large majority.
The ESB chief executive, Mr Padraig McManus, is anxious to avoid any blackouts which could seriously cripple industry. He has previously said that partnership is the only way to solve contentious issues.
The unions are angry that talks in recent months with ESB management and the Government have not produced results. Unions have demanded a 20 per cent stake in the company and an 18.5 per cent pay rise. A spokesman for the group of unions, Mr Paddy Reilly, said unions wanted to continue with the partnership process which had worked successfully in the ESB over the last decade, but so far there had been no progress in negotiations.
A spokesman for ESB management said the decision to ballot members was a "serious development" but it was ultimately a union issue. He said it was the prerogative of unions to ballot members on issues of concern.
However, he said the ESB was very clear in relation to the 18.5 per cent pay claim. The current agreement governing pay in the company, the Programme of Action for Competitiveness and Transparency (PACT), was still in operation and not all its commitments had been honoured.
A result of the various ballots should be known on May 4th and unions will then wait two weeks before deciding whether to take action.
The ESB is expected to report a strong after-tax profit of about €250 million later this month. The healthy state of the com-pany's finances is also adding to the pressure on management.
The unions at ESB already own 4.9 per cent of the company, but with some senior management figures at ESB favouring privatisation, unions want to make sure staff have a stake in any future sale.
Despite this view, the Minister for Communications and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, recently ruled out privatising the ESB, particularly the transmission and distribution network which the Government regards as a national asset. The controversy surrounding the sale of Eircom is also believed to have persuaded the Government not to sell off the ESB.