Talks over Polish workers' unpaid wages collapse
Talks aimed at resolving a dispute between unions and management over unpaid wages for 200 Polish ESB workers collapsed tonight with no agreement.
The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union is seeking assurances about money owed and job security for employees working on a €350m refit at the Moneypoint power plant, Co Clare.
The TEEU and ESB bosses met at the Labour Relations Commission in Ennis but made no progress.
Strike notice was served in ESB on Monday evening and the TEEU threatened it would begin on Thursday morning unless negotiations moved forward.
Eamon Devoy, TEEU general secretary designate, said the talks had been like a game of pass the parcel.
“At least we will have all of them together in the one place tomorrow so there will be nowhere to hide,” he said.
“The 200 Polish workers who have been left stranded without six weeks pay or jobs deserve better than this.”
The workers, who are employed by subcontractor ZRE Katowicz, were told there was no work for them this week. Unions claims some workers have not been paid for six weeks.
Another contractor is taking the lead in the refit project at Moneypoint, German firm Lentjes.
Mr Devoy said all three companies had ignored appeals to sort out the wage problems and guarantee work.
“This is the third time the ESB has been involved in this type of situation,” Mr Devoy said.
“We are no longer prepared to accept elaborate management games of snakes and ladders where vulnerable migrant workers always seem to end up back at ’Start’ and told, if they don’t like it, to leave the country.
“The ESB, Lentjes and ZRE Katowicz have been impervious to appeals to do the decent thing by these men. Therefore this union is holding them collectively responsible for the failure to pay the arrears or honour the other statutory entitlements of these workers.”
The ESB group of unions is due to meet to discuss the dispute tomorrow and Lentjes are expected to join the LRC talks between unions and ESB management.
