Workers at Indo may go on strike

FURIOUS clerical workers at Independent Newspapers could decide on strike action tomorrow.

Workers and SIPTU trade union officials have accused the company of breaking an agreement signed six months ago that stipulated voluntary take-up of the redundancy terms.

After a low take-up, the company stunned workers last week saying statutory terms would be paid if they did not take up the existing offer by May 21.

Workers were sent letters telling them they had to go or face the prospect of basic settlement terms.

The issue was dealt with a length on RTÉ's Liveline over the past two days.

Liz, a single mother of six, who has worked with the group for 20 years, said she wanted to stay at work until her family were older.

"The gun was basically put to my head," she said.

The "stress and pressure" was intolerable.

"It was just mental torture," she told Liveline.

Declan Carlisle, head of human resources, Independent Newspapers, said the company was facing intense competition with massive pressure from overseas competition in the Irish market.

"Clerical workers were earning €70,000 in some instances for working a 40-hour week," he said.

The company could not sustain such salary levels or terms and conditions, he said.

National Union of Journalists Irish secretary Séamus Dooley said it was clear that the decision to break the agreement, signed just six weeks before in the Labour Court, came directly from the board.

"Line management was honouring all agreements until recently, carrying out orders. They have done what they were told to do," he said. Mr Dooley said when the deal was agreed on in the Labour Court Mr Carlisle gave an assurance to the unions that the severance package was voluntary.

Meanwhile, journalists at the Belfast Telegraph who stopped work for 48 hours last weekend have voted for another stoppage to advance their pay claim. They were offered a 3% rise which they rejected.