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UNITE to ballot members on industrial action over ESB sell off

The decision follows an announcement by the government today that it would sell off a minority stake in the state-owned utility company.

THE UNION REPRESENTING most workers at ESB has said it intends to ballot members on industrial action that could include a possible strike.

UNITE said this evening it would ballot members at ESB for industrial action up to and including the withdrawal of labour over the proposed sale of the state company, which was announced  today.

Communications minister Pat Rabbitte told the Dáil that it had been agreed that a minority stake in ESB would be sold off but he said that no decision had been reached on the size of the stake that would be sold.

UNITE said this evening that as a result of this decision, members would be balloted on industrial action following a motion already passed at the biennial conference of the ESB Group of Unions in July.

Regional secretary Jimmy Kelly said: “The will of the meeting was very clear that the short term gain from a fire sale of the ESB is far outweighed by the loss of energy security, loss of dividend for the taxpayer and the loss of services such as we have seen this week in repairing the network in adverse conditions.”

The timeframe for the ballot is still to be established, a spokesperson for UNITE confirmed to TheJournal.ie this evening adding there was a “valid reason for state-ownership” of the company.

ESB has declined to comment on today’s announcement, saying the ownership of the company was “a matter for the shareholder”.

Read: Government decides to sell minority stake in ESB >

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27 Comments
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    Mute Trevor Byrne
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    Sep 14th 2011, 5:59 PM

    The Pro’s of the sale however will be less gravy to pass around their employee’s at everyone else’s expense.
    If they’re putting up so much against a proper readjustment of their outrageous wage system and perks for employee’s then the government is left with little choice but to sell it off and let the market decide what they’re worth. Can’t have all your cake and eat it, sorry but the country can’t afford your personal wage luxuries any more while you hike up the prices for customers “just because” and to pay for your wasteful management.

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    Mute Aideen Reilly
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    Sep 14th 2011, 6:02 PM

    Afraid of losing their cushy conditions I see, sure even their own representative at talks think they have it too good. The company I work for is being sold it would be mad if we decided to strike over it, some people in the public sector need a reality check

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    Mute Gis Bayertz
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    Sep 14th 2011, 9:21 PM

    You’re very right, Aideen!

    17
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    Mute damien chaney
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    Sep 15th 2011, 12:26 AM

    Aideen the E.S.B is not public sector even though it is state owned

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    Mute David Higgins
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    Sep 14th 2011, 6:07 PM

    A strike at the ESB will have very little public support, especially after the “spoilt” comments over the summer.

    97
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    Mute Tony Stamper
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    Sep 14th 2011, 6:18 PM

    The ESB are on average way over paid, but selling it off will not reduce prices, it just means that the savings and wage reductions will go to a foreign investor rather than to Irish employed staff. It really is selling the plantation to the carpet baggers.

    Have no doubt that in years to come the links between members of this Govt,. and the eventual buyers will be exposed.

    It is the same shite day in day out.

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    Mute David Higgins
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    Sep 14th 2011, 6:23 PM

    The foreign investor will have paid a very large sum in the first place. Should we expect them to take nothing back in return?

    Investors put money in with no guarantee that the business will be profitable in the future. They’ll take in more money over time if it is profitable but that’s what we owe them for taking the risk in the first place.

    The sale can come with certain conditions if needs be. We’ve yet to see how the Minister will manage the sale.

    23
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    Mute Adam Magari
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    Sep 14th 2011, 6:43 PM

    Will the strikers be known as The Bisto Kids?

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    Mute david campbell
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    Sep 15th 2011, 12:58 AM

    Whatever about the merits of a sell off at ESB, it should be unlawful for employees providing any essential service to strike. The Gardai and army can’t strike so why not our power supplier?

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    Mute Grainne Lavers Gould
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    Sep 14th 2011, 9:43 PM

    Bernadette I agree and well said. It’s about the only asset this country has and if it’s sold then our country doesn’t have anything else to fall back on. Reduce the higher earners within the company.

    12
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    Mute Terry Turner
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    Sep 14th 2011, 10:08 PM

    Reduce the high earners how? They have the country by the short and curlies. Without a second complete source of power, the ESB unions will exert enormous power over us.

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    Mute Grainne Lavers Gould
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    Sep 14th 2011, 7:08 PM

    From reading comments left on the ESB being sold makes me realise that people always believe what they read! it’s the CER that regulates the price increases not Esb and that’s only the begining. Before people threaten violence to staff that are tying to keep their jobs they would want to look at the bigger picture. Most general staff are on average wages and will be balloting to hold onto their jobs but I suppose an extra 3000 people on the live register doesn’t matter to some people!

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    Mute Trevor Byrne
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    Sep 14th 2011, 7:38 PM

    CER that regulates, ESB that asks for them. Both are government state bodies, both are intertwined, neither could be trusted and neither are transparent in their dealings.

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    Mute Denise Cronin
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    Sep 15th 2011, 9:37 AM

    CER were put in place as part of an EU directive in a bid to introduce competition in the energy market. On an island so small not a great idea. The cost of electricity has risen a lot since then. For years the cost of a unit of electricity was £0.0743 and that was the price at the Euro changeover in 2002. When did it start to rise? Competition was introduced. Another thing gas prices rose which had an impact on the price and oil prices rose and that had an effect to a lesser degree. ESB has put â

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    Mute druid
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    Sep 14th 2011, 8:48 PM

    Trevor you are talking through your hat.

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    Mute Grainne Lavers Gould
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    Sep 14th 2011, 7:45 PM

    CER are state body ESB are semi state! If both companies are intertwined how come they could only compete this year in the energy market? They lost a fortune of customers and money over the last 5 years or so and they were not allowed to lower their prices and this was because of the CER. If they exceeded too many customers they could have incurred a hefty fine.

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    Mute Derek Richardson
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    Sep 15th 2011, 8:35 PM

    is that not the problem with the whole country to many offices for the one entity, aka hse ,revenue,boird gais, esb

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Sep 14th 2011, 9:02 PM

    I Do not agree with the sale at all and it is a profit making " semi state company" maybe if they addressed the Boards Salaries As they do with the Politicians Salaries then maybe Ireland may survive

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    Mute HEADWRECKER
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    Sep 14th 2011, 10:49 PM

    up the pole

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    Mute Caoimhín Mac Mathúna
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    Sep 15th 2011, 8:44 AM

    This is presuming that the government have a choice in the sale of the ESB, they don’t. It’s not about whether they should restructure the wages within the company or whether the employees are spoilt (although I suspect this is another hit job, like the welfare cheats stories to get the public on side if and when something is done to stamp it out).

    I am not supportive if the high wages in the ESB but people need to understand that the motivation for the sale of this asset is more to do with the demand by the IMF than the Government trying to save money. It’s a precondition of any bailout that the country being bailed out must sell it’s energy producing assets along with other utilities. They have “recommended” this to every nation, it’s their modus operandi. Private control of energy companies efectively puts the population under more control of the IMF. Be careful what you wish for.

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    Mute Alco Holic
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    Sep 14th 2011, 11:14 PM

    Extra Strong Bisto

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    Mute Keith Mills
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    Sep 15th 2011, 9:19 AM

    The ESB is the prime example of a badly run, overpaid semi-state company where featherbedding is the norm. It should be broken up and only the national grid (which is of strategic interest) should be kep in public ownership.

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    Mute Denise Cronin
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    Sep 15th 2011, 9:44 AM

    The IMF advised the Govt that ESB was their biggest cash cow. â

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    Mute Domnic Murphy
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    Sep 15th 2011, 8:47 AM

    they are overpaid,we are overcharged ! (pun intended) my ex works there, and she was always ready to strike !!!!!!

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    Mute Pòl O Cadhla
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    Sep 15th 2011, 9:03 AM

    So happy that the ESB workers will loose their big fat undeserved salaries…welcome to the real world

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    Mute Pòl O Cadhla
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    Sep 15th 2011, 9:07 AM

    Boo hoo

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    Mute Frank O' Shea
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    Sep 16th 2011, 11:53 AM

    Look at the board members of the ESB — the same bunch of spoiled brats that occupy most government boards.
    The union member is as usual one of the best paid people in Ireland if you add up the different strems of money he recieves..
    One man one Job –while people are leaving in their droves to other countries we foster double and treble jobbing –RTE, Gay Byrne,Miriam, Pat, Derek Mooney,etc
    –DAA.
    –DDA
    –All Quango’s
    –Politicians themselves.

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