Staff warned plant may move production if plan opposed

KINGSPAN has threatened to move its 144-job manufacturing facility from Cavan to a plant in Britain if SIPTU workers continue to oppose a survival plan.

Yesterday, the union served strike notice on the Kingspan Building Products in Kingscourt, Cavan, amid allegations that the company was “unilaterally implementing” a Labour Court recommendation that had been rejected by workers.

Since 2007, the workforce at the Co Cavan plant has been reduced by 200. Shift changes, which the company said were vital for its survival, are being opposed by SIPTU which said its members “have suffered already as a result of mass redundancies,” and have been on short-time working over the last 24 months.