Remarks at the Presentation of Linesmen’s Archival Material to the ESB
ESB Georgian House Museum, 29 Lr. Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 20th January 2015,
A Dhaoine Uaisle,
Is mór an pléisiúr dom bheith anseo ar an ócáid seo a ndéantar doiciméid a bhronnadh ar an ESB a bhaineann le bunú Chumann Oibrithe Linté an ESB.
[It is a great pleasure for me to be here on the occasion of the presentation to the ESB of documents relating to the setting up of the ESB Linesmen’s Association.]
This month, as during so many recent winters, the nation has witnessed the great dedication of our Linesmen during a time of inclement weather and loss of power.
Once again we were reminded of the critical work they do, work undertaken in a great spirit of community participation and human solidarity. Despite the great pressure put on their services and resources during this past week they rose to the challenge of responding to fellow citizens who were in need of their support and expertise.
It was such a spirit of solidarity and commitment to collective action that drove the foundation of the Linesmen’s Association. The 1960s and 1970s were a time of great transition for this country, and these files and photographs represent a rich and eclectic collection. By casting a light on the industrial relations landscape of the period and the attempts by ESB Linesmen to better their pay and status within the company they remind us of the great debt so many workers owe to those who, over the years, have fought and battled for the protection and development of employment rights.
It is indeed appropriate that this presentation takes place during this decade of important commemorations for us here in Ireland. It is a time when we recall, and mark, some of the significant events which lead up to and brought about the formation of an Irish Free State, including the Dublin Lockout of 1913. The Lockout gave a sense of empowerment to ordinary working people – giving them the courage to work together to seek the basic rights that they had been denied throughout history.
Collections such as the one we celebrate today are an essential resource for those who wish to engage with our shared past; and to gain an appreciation of the consequences, for both our present and our future, of considerations, decisions and actions that occurred in that past. These papers bear witness to the moral courage, selflessness and enormous dedication on which the rights that Linesmen enjoy today were built. They remind us of all that has been achieved in the five or so decades since the foundation of the Association and of the many people who worked so hard to improve the welfare of their fellow workers in the ESB. They remind us, too, of our own duty and responsibility to continue to play a role in the creation of a fair and equitable society in which all citizens have the opportunity to flourish.
This collection includes material concerning much of the practical discussion around wages and conditions of Linesmen, while also allowing us access to the thought processes surrounding important strategic decisions such as that to become members of one union as opposed to three, ultimately becoming Branch 11/61 of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union. They also provide a fascinating insight into the operations of the ESB in its earlier years, and the many negotiations which took place between Management, Electricians and their Unions in order to achieve the Association’s aims and objectives.
We are greatly indebted to all those who play a role in maintaining, protecting and preserving our national narrative. These papers were passed through the safe hands of a number of officers of the Linesmen’s Association. They have continued to survive through the custodial endeavours of Ellen Feeney, whose late husband, Andy, was Secretary of the Association, and she will shortly present them on behalf of the Linesmen’s Association to the ESB archive. I thank Ellen, and all those who have helped to preserve an important part of our rich industrial heritage.
I had the pleasure of knowing Andy Feeney both as a colleague in the E.S.B. and later as a constituent and friend.
I got the call to become a Grade VIII Clerical Officer in the E.S.B. in 1960. It said
‘Report to the Office in Newtownsmith’.
I really didn’t know whether that was in the County or the City. My first digs were in Newcastle Park and the landlady’s son showed me where the offices were.
As I was in Wages with Brendan Patterson or Tommy McCarthy as superiors, sharing an office with Bob McDonald and Willie Glennon, among my functions was to do the work sheets and go around with the wages. Thus I got to know the linesmen and the staff at all grades. I was in the E.S.B. Officers’ Association as my first Union. I stayed in touch and the greatest solidarity I experienced was among the ESB workers and their families.
Mar fhocal scoir, molaim sibh go léir as an obair luachmhar a dhéanann sibh agus guím gach rath oraibh i gcónaí sna blianta atá amach romhainn.
[Finally may I commend all of you for the valuable work you do and wish you continued success in the future.]
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.