Strike likely as ESB withdraws from planned talks
A strike by ESB technicians is looking increasingly likely following a decision by the company's management to pull out of planned talks this morning.
The strike was originally due to get underway today, but was postponed by the ATGWU to allow for further discussions with the company this morning.
The union's strike committee is now expected to reinstate the action from tomorrow morning following the ESB's decision to withdraw from the talks.
In a letter to the ATGWU, the company said it would not engage in any negotiations unless the threat of strike action was lifted.
The dispute centres on the use of outside contractors alongside ATGWU technicians as part of a major programme to upgrade the ESB network.
The union has claimed that apprentice technicians working with the ESB are being denied jobs with the company in favour of outside contractors.
However, the ESB is insisting that the use of outside contractors was part of a deal negotiated with the unions in 2001.
Any strike action would not immediately affect power supplies, but blackouts would be possible if the stoppage continued as technicians would not be available to repair breakdowns in the network.
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