As Telecom Eireann shares begin trading today, unions at the company attacked the Government for failing to reinstate worker-directors to its board.
The general secretary of the Communications Workers' Union, Mr Con Scanlon, told the conference that representation for workers at board level was essential if workers' attitudes to modernising the workplace were to change.
He said while there was a director on the company board to represent the workers as shareholders, there was no provision to replace the four worker-directors to represent the workforce.
A situation could arise where the employee share option trust nominee might be representing former employees as shareholders as well as employees.
IMPACT delegate Mr Michael Landers said the workforce had turned a company with a £1 billion debt into one worth between £6 billion and £7 billion. Referring to the removal of the worker-directors from the board, he said: "We have effectively been pushed aside. This sends out an appalling message about partnership."
The trade union movement had "demonstrated commitment to partnership by pay moderation and industrial peace, but are employers and the Government prepared to share power where power really is, in the boardroom?"
IMPACT deputy general secretary Mr Shay Cody said employee share option plans and profit-sharing schemes must be part of any new national agreement. Share option plans were "more than just reward mechanisms for staff", he said.
International studies showed that companies with significant share option plans had higher productivity and enhanced share value.