THE construction industry faces a major strike by 6,000 electricians following the breakdown of talks on pay. The executive of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union is expected to sanction strike action in pursuit of a £33 a week pay award when it meets this evening.
There is an angry mood among electricians, who feel that delays in paying the award are unjustified in the current boom. The award is based on an analogue agreement by which electricians', pay is adjusted to take account of increases in other sectors of the economy.
Shop stewards in the greater Dublin area organised unofficial stoppages twice last week. Among the sites disrupted were the Intel and Hewlett Packard developments at Leixlip and Celbridge.
Stewards were planning more action this week, but decided to suspend it when a meeting was arranged between the TEEU and the Construction Industry Federation yesterday. Those talks ended without any agreement being reached.
Afterwards the CIF issued a statement saying its members would implement a Labour Court order issued last month, which would give electricians an extra £14.50p a week, backdated to January. A further increase of £10 a week would be phased in from December 1st, 1997 and a final £8.52p a week from September 1st, 1998.
This would raise the basic hourly rate in the industry from £7.42p an hour to £8.26p over the next 14 months. But as far as the electricians are concerned, it is too little too late.
Originally the full increase, worth £33.02p, was to have been introduced from January 1st. The electricians want the full amount, plus retrospection, paid immediately.
Given the prevailing mood, members would probably renew unofficial stoppages immediately in the unlikely event that the TEEU executive does not sanction an official strike.
Official strike sanction would also provide a breathing space for talks. Under agreed procedures the CIF is entitled to two weeks' strike notice.
The CIF's director of industrial relations, Mr Terry McEvoy, said yesterday that he regretted the problem of retrospection had not been resolved. "We hope that on consideration the union executive will accept the proposals which in the circumstances, we believe to be fair and reasonable."
He pointed out that the CIF was implementing the Labour Court order in full and the TEEU was seeking to go beyond its terms. On previous occasions where negotiations had overrun target dates - there had been the phased introduction of payments - or even a pay pause.
The TEEU assistant general secretary, Mr Finn Lawless, said he was reluctant to comment ahead, of tonight's meeting. But under existing agreements employers had known since 1994 that a pay rise was due from January 1st this, year.