Bad weather forces Bord na Móna to cut 105 part-timers

The poor summer has forced Bord na Móna to let 105 seasonal workers go as the peat producer’s harvesting operation has been severely curtailed.

Another 90 staff in the semi-state waste and energy company are to be put on short-term work as the company cuts losses.

A spokesman said that two-and-a-half times the average rainfall fell in June, resulting in Bord na Móna’s worst peat harvest.

“The peat harvest is now 37% of the amount expected for 2012, the worst ever year, and it is unlikely that the shortfall can be recovered in what remains of the harvesting season that typically lasts from May to September,” he said.

“In response to this, and in order to mitigate the resultant losses, the company has prepared a contingency plan and will be implementing this over the next number of months. This contingency plan includes measures aimed at managing current peat stocks, revenue increases, and cost control initiatives.”

As part of these measures, seasonal employees will not be employed in managing, harvesting, and supplying peat and biomass raw materials.

The company is also introducing a short-time working initiative that will effect about 90 office-based employees. It is intended this initiative will commence at the start of October and continue until the end of March.

The secretary of the Bord na Móna group of unions and Siptu organiser Oliver McDonagh said the unions were disappointed at the layoffs.

“The Bórd Na Mona Group of Unions is disappointed that management has gone down the road of layoffs and short-time working,” he said.