Siptu has accused the Government of targeting ESB workers and “attacking the working class”, while adopting a softer approach with financial institutions and businesses.
The ESB has been criticised in recent days following the news that workers were awarded a 3.5 per cent pay increase under the new national pay deal. The pay rise was approved by the board in December and backdated to November.
The union's branch organiser for ESB workers, Greg Ennis, criticised what he described as "negative ministerial comments" on the pay increase, saying it was hypocritical and despicable.
"On how many more occasions will this Government demonstrate its capacity to attack the working class in this country? Surely Government Ministers should be directing their focus and attention to addressing the current catastrophic situation caused by the greedy, but powerful minority, rather than berating those who have already put their shoulder to the wheel to make the ESB the profitable company that it is, and one of which the taxpayer is also a clear beneficiary," he said.
"Cheap shots taken by Government Ministers at workers fool nobody and only further serve to depict why we are in this crisis."
Mr Ennis accused the Government of having a clear strategy, and said it chose to target workers in the recent attempt to resolve economic difficulties, rather than agree a range of measures that would impact on all sectors of society equally.