The Communications Workers Union will take "whatever action is necessary" to maintain its right to elect worker directors to the board of Telecom Eireann after privatisation, according to its president.

Mr Gerry Ruane also told the opening session of the CWU conference in Waterford that the union would fight "tooth and nail" any attempt by the telecommunications regulator or the Government to open Telecom's local phone networks to competitors.

The conference should have been in celebratory mood. Last month, the Revenue Commissioners approved the employee share-option arrangements which will give 8,500 members shares worth about £80,000 (E£101,000) each in the company.

But yesterday the emphasis was on unfinished business arising from the scheme, especially the Government's decision to drop existing provisions for two worker directors from the 12-strong board.

The CWU general secretary, Mr Con Scanlon, said that, with one or two honourable exceptions, there appeared to be little political support for employee share ownership in this State.

He described putting the Telecom Eireann option together as "one of the most difficult and frustrating experiences anyone could imagine".

He singled out the Department of Finance, in particular, as being politically and administratively opposed to employee share-ownership schemes.

Mr Scanlon said the issue of low pay was also high on the union's agenda.

"There is a perception that workers in the public sector are well-paid and that low pay is a condition which afflicts only the private sector. This is not the case. There are many workers in both private and public sectors who are just about scraping by. A golden opportunity exists now to do something radical about low pay and it is an opportunity which trade unionists should insist is availed of," he said.