Meat factory workers agree to industrial action by 93 votes to one

INDUSTRIAL action is looming in a dispute at Breeo Foods in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, following a vote by workers yesterday.

Some 24 people were employed in the sausage production section of what is known as the Galtee Meats plant, but this was closed last Friday.

A spokesman for Breeo Foods, a subsidiary of Reox, the company formed as a result of the spin out of non-farm dependent business activities from Dairygold Co-op last year, said any suggestion or threat of industrial action was disappointing.

He said jobs are available at the same pay rate and in the same business for all persons who had previously worked in sausage production.

However, workers voted by 93 votes to one for industrial action and their union, SIPTU, is expected to serve two weeks’ notice on the company.

SIPTU branch secretary John Cooney said the dispute centres on the company’s failure to abide by an agreement to give two months’ notice to staff regarding the closure of the sausage processing section and the outsourcing of processing.

Some 14 people have been offered employment elsewhere in the Galtee Foods operation. Ten people were offered work in the company’s cheese processing section. But these workers did not agree to this move and turned up for work on Monday at the meats section.

Mr Cooney said management informed the 10 workers they would not be paid unless they transferred to the cheese processing section. But the workers have continued to turn up for work at the meats division as they have not agreed to the transfer.