SIPTU's new vice-president, Mr Des Geraghty, has pledged himself to modernise and rejuvenate Ireland's largest trade union. He was speaking after being elected on the first count last night. Mr Geraghty polled 51,554 first preference votes, out of a total valid poll of 102,967. The quota was 51,484. While widely tipped to win, he was not expected to do so on the first count, as there were four other candidates in the field.
"I am heartened by the size of this vote, which clearly endorses my radical vision of modern trade unionism," he said. "I want to strengthen the values of solidarity and equity in society, to improve the lot of low-paid workers and revitalise our union as a major social force in society and the workplace."
The vice-presidential campaign was more hotly contested than that for president last March, when only 89,591 union members voted.
On that occasion the then vice-president, Mr Jimmy Somers, won with 51,651 votes. The only other candidate was Waterford shop floor worker Ms Carolann Duggan, who surprised the union establishment by polling 37,940 votes.
On this occasion Ms Duggan's vote fell to a still respectable 21,074. While her criticism of the union establishment and opposition to national pay deals obviously retained some appeal - and Ms Duggan enjoyed considerable publicity in the national media - her campaign suffered from an inability to offer a credible alternative strategy.
Mr Geraghty, a former Workers' Party activist and Democratic Left MEP, was also seen as a radical candidate. A shop steward at 17, and full-time official of the old Irish Transport and General Workers Union from 1970 until its amalgamation with the Federated Workers Union of Ireland to form SIPTU in 1990, he was also by far the best-known candidate within the union.
The other candidates were Donegal branch secretary Mr George Hunter, who won 14,890 first preference votes, SIPTU equality officer Ms Noirin Greene, with 11,610 votes, and Dublin catering branch secretary Mr Norman Croke, with 3,839.