Members of the Communications Workers Union at Eircom have overwhelmingly backed industrial action over a claim for a 2% pay increase due under the Towards 2016 agreement.
The Union said 84% of its members in Eircom voted in a ballot, with 96.7% in favour of action.
CWU general secretary Steve Fitzpatrick said the union would be meeting other unions in Eircom on co-operating to secure the pay rise.
The Union's national executive meets tomorrow, when it is likely to issue Eircom with notice of industrial action.
The unions claim Eircom's owner, Babcock and Brown, is refusing to pay a 2% pay increase due under the national wage deal until staff agree new terms and conditions. Eircom has not had a strike since 1978.
Eircom's chief executive Rex Comb had said the company wanted talks about a document it had put forward on proposed 'change agenda', which covered productivity and customer service.
In a statement this evening, Eircom said it had committed many weeks ago to pay the 2% wage increase, backdated to 1 May 2007.
The company said it has never sought and is not now seeking to reduce the terms and conditions of employment. The statement went on to say that in return for the pay increase, both the national Towards 2016 Agreement and the local Partnership agreement between Eircom and the unions provide for direct discussions regarding ongoing change.
The company said it has been 'patiently waiting for the unions to engage in meaningful dialogue' with it since 6 June.
A meeting is scheduled for this coming 11 July according to Eircom and the company said it 'looks forward to engaging fully with the unions.'
