Dublin Corporation waterworks staff called off a 24hour strike yesterday over proposals to effectively privatise the Ballymore Eustace plant for 20 years.
The plant, which dates back to 1944 and supplies drinking water to most of Dublin and Co Kildare, needs a £40 million upgrade.
The Dublin Corporation Partnership Forum, on which unions and management are represented, is to discuss the issue today. The partnership's subcommittee for the project has already endorsed a traditional approach that the new work be undertaken by contractors working for the corporation.
However, the corporation is also considering a proposal to allow private contractors to upgrade the plant and run it on a leased basis to recoup the cost. A SIPTU shop steward, Mr Willie Meade, said yesterday a 24-hour strike by waterworks staff had been planned for Sunday but had been deferred to allow further discussions.
However, he added that members were totally opposed to privatisation. In England he claimed it led to excess pricing, limited access, low water quality, restricted competition and corruption.
Mr Meade said that if progress was not made in today's talks the staff would be calling on all SIPTU members and other trade unionists in Dublin "to back our stand".