Electricity power cuts within the next 10 days have become a real possibility, with the group of unions within the ESB deciding to shelve their differences and present a common claim to management for payment for change.
The group of unions will show a united front this morning at a special meeting with management when the ATGWU and the craft union TEEU give notice of their intention to join their colleagues in SIPTU and the white-collar ESB Officers' Association in the strike action planned for Monday, April 23rd.
Talks between management and the unions had been deadlocked since the rejection by 2,500 network technicians of a pay offer last January. The technicians are members of SIPTU, the ATGWU and the TEEU.
SIPTU and the ESBOA were seeking a 28 per cent increase in pay for their members.
Initially, the decision of the two unions to "go it alone" had produced sharp criticism from the other unions within the ESB group.
But a meeting yesterday between the four unions was relatively harmonious, the SIPTU branch secretary, Mr Tony Dunne, indicated. "A common claim has now been adopted," he said.