Eircom braces itself for strike action


10 Jul 2007

Eircom employees who are members of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking a strike action against the incumbent operator over pay and conditions.

The CWU is expected to serve seven days’ strike notice later this morning.

The union, the largest in Eircom, voted to take the strike action over a 2pc pay claim due to have been introduced two months ago.

An increase is due to 7,000 staff members under the Towards 2016 Partnership agreement.

Eircom is refusing to make the pay increase happen unless the workers agree to new terms and conditions.

Some 84pc of CWU members at Eircom voted, with 96.7pc voting in favour of the proposed strike action.

In a statement last night, Eircom said it committed many weeks ago to pay the 2pc wage increase, backdated to 1 May 2007. “The company has never sought and is not now seeking to reduce the terms and conditions of employment,” it stated.

Eircom said it has been waiting for the unions to engage in meaningful dialogue with the company since 6 June.

“Those talks need to take place and result in documented understandings before the 2pc can be actioned.”

A meeting between Eircom and the union is scheduled to take place tomorrow.

By John Kennedy