ESB workers vote for strike action
The ESB was facing further turmoil tonight after unions voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the Government’s plans for the future of the company.
A White Paper has been drawn up to impose restrictions on power generation and split the company formally making EirGrid, the electricity distribution wing, a separate entity.
But the ESB Group of Unions oppose the plan, claiming it will cripple the company commercially and wipe €1bn off its value.
Workers voted nine to one in favour of industrial action.
The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, with 1,700 ESB members, said it supported the workers.
Jimmy Nolan, TEEU national industrial organiser, said employees were seriously concerned about the possible break-up of the company.
“It makes no business sense and no strategic sense to break up the company and hobble its capacity to compete effectively in either the national, or international market,” he said.
Unions insisted they support the Government’s plan to open up the Irish energy market in line with EU competition law and energy policy including a focus on renewables.
“However we have very serious reservations about proposals to split Eirgrid from the main company and to impose restrictions on its power generation programme,” Mr Nolan said.
“The loss of Eirgrid would reduce the value of the ESB from €3.5bn to €2.5bn at a stroke.
“We believe such developments could seriously damage the long term commercial viability of the company and, in the process, undermine security of supply for the nation.
EirGrid controls the distribution network including pylons and cables. The Government plans to limit the ESB to supplying 40% of the country’s power and if it chooses to diversify into the renewable field it would have to close plants.
The ESB Group of Unions represents more than 2,000 workers and includes the TEEU, Unite and Siptu.
Last month, the ESB ran into difficulty at its Moneypoint plant after hundreds of foreign workers lost their jobs with a Polish sub-contractor which did not pay them proper wages.
Unions served strike notice but a walk-out was narrowly avoided after a deal was struck to pay money owed.
