VOTING for one of the most important jobs in Irish trade unionism started yesterday. The balloting of the 197,000 members or the presidency of SIPTU ends on April 9th.
While there arc elaborate rules to ensure a level playing field for all candidates, SIPTU's current vice-president, Mr Jimmy Somers (56), is undoubtedly the front runner in the race for general president to succeed Mr Edmund Browne.
Mr Somers has been nominated by 84 branches, compared with the three branch nominations for his main opponent, Mr Norman Croke (49), and just one for the third candidate, Ms Carolann Duggan (36).
Mr Croke is secretary of the Dublin catering branch. When he contested the vice-presidency in 1994, he polled 9,11 3 first preferences to 80,000 for Mr Somers.
Ms Duggan is the first woman to run for one of the general officerships in SIPTU. Her prospects of success are even dimmer Mr Croke's.
A member of the Socialist Workers' Party, she was nominated by the education branch of the union, which is well known for its revolutionary socialist politics. Although she is campaigning on a "rank and file" platform to bring more democracy to shop floor level, she has failed to obtain a nomination from her own branch in Waterford.
Mr Croke will win votes outside his own sector. He has a higher profile than most branch secretaries in SIPTU and a reputation as a champion of the low-paid.
However, neither Mr Croke nor Ms Duggan has anything like the track record of Mr Somers.
He has been an activist in SIPTU all his adult life and led the SIPTU delegation in the Partnership 2000 negotiations.
Unassuming and approachable he is popular in the union at all levels. If he has had a weakness it is to concentrate on the nuts and bolts of the organisation rather than future strategic direction.
If Mr Somers wins the election, his present position as vice-president will fall vacant. To some extent the candidatures of Mr Croke and Ms Duggan are being viewed within SIPTU as positioning exercises for the vice-presidential election.
However, the front runners in that race are expected to be the union's national industrial officer, Mr Des Geraghty, Dublin regional secretary Mr Brendan Hayes and Cork regional secretary Mr John McDonnell.