SWITCHING energy suppliers will not spare customers from the potential of blackouts, the head of the ESB group of unions has said.
Brendan Ogle warned that moving companies "won't make a blind bit of difference" should industrial action lead to power outages.
He made the comments after retail industry body Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) said that its members would withdraw support from [broken link removed]/Electric Ireland and move to other suppliers if strike action goes ahead next month.
Mr Ogle pointed out that ESB Networks was responsible for delivering power to indi-vidual properties, regardless of which company supplied the home or business.
"The electricity system requires people to work it and if those people are forced into industrial action, the electricity system isn't going to work, or it isn't going to work as efficiently as it worked," he said.
"It makes no difference who your energy supplier is. You could be an ESB customer somewhere and not be affected or you could be a competitor's customer somewhere and be affected. It is as random as that."
Mr Ogle's comments came after REI moved to put pressure on the ESB to resolve the dispute, which threatens to severely impact on trade.
REI chief executive David Fitzsimons said it would actively assist its members to change providers in the New Year, should next month's strike proceed.
Moving suppliers may not spare customers from blackouts, but there is little doubt the withdrawal of REI members would severely impact on Electric Ireland's profits next year.
The industry group represents over 1,100 retail companies, who operate 11,000 stores around the country.
Retail Excellence Ireland lack of understanding how Electricity is distributed around the Country has me worried.
I can't see there being any strike. It is a just a game of brinkmanship.
Just make it illegal for the distribution of electricity to be disrupted by industrial action. If it disrupted, Brendan Ogle should be jailed and the union fined. We don't allow our guards to strike so why do we allow these people?
This....Gov't will cave in and the Labour Court or the like will get a 'fudge' agreed between both sides with the taxpayer eventually footing the bill
...........................................................................................................He expects to call or threaten a strike, get some concession (or more likely in this case a "clarification"), then return to the status quo. But once there's even a bit of competition like in ESB a union leader can't guarantee a return to the status quo after annoying customers.
I'd guess with the help of the REI he'll eventually figure this out and will shortly be in talks where someone painstakingly clarifies the ESB pension to him.
Ultimately Ogle will only speed up ESB's break up and privatization so he may be doing some good despite himself.
Only partially.1. Is it a case that ESB pension has been changed from a Defined Benefit to a Defined Contribution?
No, any pre-existing funding goes to DB - it's totally normal for DB to move to DC, happened all over the place, even the banks.2. Does that now mean that an ESB worker is NOT NOW guaranteed the Benefits he/she has worked and paid for?
Pensions change including for management.3. We hear all the time that things cant change because of contractural arrangements.particularly with high profile people.Yet now management changes things for Joe Soap?
How does that differ from anyone else?4. I understand ESB workers rely totally on their (guaranteed) pension.
This (I'm assuming) is because they were not paying PRSI. Not paying PRSI and not getting a state pension when you're getting a semi-state pension is a deal I'd take if offered to me. Portraying not getting a state pension in this case as a bad thing is ludicrous. If you offered to reduce their pension by 12k and tell them to take the state pension at 68 like everyone else you'd really have a strike.5. They will NOT get a State Pension.
They're not safe - the government is taking the levy.If this change was NOT agreed , then are ANY OF OUR PENSION POTS safe?
I ask you how would you react if someone decided to change your Pension Fund?
I ask are ESB workers not entitled to rely on their pension to be honoured?
From a personal viewpoint I am hugely relieved that Labour form part of the Government as they continue to support the right to organise & the right to strike , FG on their own may not have held the same viewpoint.
Well, lets see how you feel when your without power for a few days.
Or when Google/Facebook/Intel announce next year they're pulling out of this country because electricity is not guaranteed.
Or when people die because operations were put off/accidents occur as a result of the outages.
The right to strike in a critical utility service that the entire country depends upon where the average wage is over 75k and pensions can be up to 66% of final salary....Big Jim fought for that all right!
.. but there is little doubt the withdrawal of REI members would severely impact on Electric Ireland's profits next year.
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