THE Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has set up a special sub-committee "to restore friendly relations between the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU)". Between them, the two unions have over 30,000 craft workers throughout the Republic.
The AEEU requested the ICTU investigate attempts by the TEEU to poach its members. The TEEU has set up a transition branch to accommodate members who wish to transfer from the AEEU and is understood to have received over 1,000 applications.
This follows the defection of the Irish district secretary of the AEEU, Mr Eamon Devoy, and a number of other leading members over what they claim is the loss of autonomy for Irish members following a rule book change in the British based union.
The AEEU countered with complaints to the ICTU and there have been a number of heated exchanges between members of both unions at national level and in some workplaces. Announcing the establishment of the special ICTU sub-committee yesterday, the ICTU general secretary, Mr Peter Cassells, said the congress executive "expressed its grave concern about recent disagreements between the two unions. Congress has told both that there are clear rules under the ICTU constitution for dealing with disputes between unions and these rules must be adhered to while the subcommittee investigates the matter."
Both unions have agreed to cooperate with the new sub-committee.
The AEEU had been hoping the ICTU would freeze any transfer of members to the TEEU but it welcomed yesterday's decision. A member of its Irish management committee, Mr Mick Brennan, said if "peaceful co-existence" was to be achieved both sides must "desist from any activity that will cause the situation to deteriorate".
"We're not seeking TEEU members or criticising their rule book", Mr Brennan said. "We would expect them to desist from going on to jobs and attempting to recruit our members. If they don't we will report them to congress and we would expect a congress executive member like Mr Devoy to act in the spirit of yesterday's resolution".