THE Communications Workers' Union will enter negotiations to hire up to 14 per cent of Teleco Eireann for its members, general secretary Mr David Begg has said.
Welcoming the decision to sanction a strategic alliance between Telecom and KPN Telia, Mr Begg said the union firmly intends to increase its share holding beyond the 5 per cent level already approved by the Government.
The CWU says it can now negotiate for up to 14 per cent of the company. KPN Telia has also indicated its willingness to enter negotiations with the union on such a proposal.
In a statement, the union "warmly welcomed" the new alliance, saying it was willing to play its part to transform Telecom Eireann into a world class company. But it warned that such a transformation would only be achieved through "high commitment, high trust policies".
KPN Telia was the CWU's preferred choice as a strategic partner for Telecom Eireann. In a report two years ago, the union said it believed KPN Telia had "serious, long term and honourable intentions towards Telecom".
Mr Begg says that, while there will inevitably be some streamlining of Telecom's business, he does not expect it will mean job losses, at least in the short term.
