THE unofficial action at Tarbert, Co Kerry, began just as a separate dispute directly across the Shannon at the EBS's largest power station at Moneypoint, Co Clare was being resolved.
There, a shop steward who had been sent home on full pay returned to work after a settlement was reached. However, as some workers signed back in at Moneypoint they then went back outside the gates in support of the work stoppage at Tarbert.
Two mechanical fitters, one of whom is a shop steward, were sent home on full pay from Tarbert station in December arising from a separate disciplinary issue.
Official disciplinary procedures, involving an internal sequence of appeals heard by different managers, were put in place and the third of three appeal hearings was due to be heard in Listowel, Co Kerry, on Wednesday morning.
However, at Wednesday lunchtime, pickets were mounted at both Tarbert and Moneypoint in connection with the dispute, with fitters demanding reinstatement for the two men.
The man sent home from Moneypoint had returned to work after a settlement, devised by former ICTU president Mr Phil Flynn, was agreed and fitters at Tarbert wanted the same formula to be applied to their dispute.
As the unofficial strike escalated yesterday, pickets were being placed at 15 ESB power stations, increasing fears of an electricity black-out.
The ESB employs 200 mechanical craft workers. In common with other skilled workers, they serve four to five-year apprenticeships. They work at turning metal, fitting and maintaining mechanical equipment and cutting metal.
The first dispute had begun on Monday at the Moneypoint power station, the largest ESB plant in the Republic. Normally, the station generates 900 megawatts for the national grid, which requires 3,200 megawatts at peak times. However, due to repairs being carried out, the output at Moneypoint had been reduced to 600 megawatts.
A picket had been staged on Moneypoint after a day worker, a shop steward, was sent home on full pay over an incident which had taken place over the weekend.
The threat of black-outs was avoided when management decided to switch from coal to emergency oil supplies.