Golden Pages firm details need for restructuring

The publisher of the Golden Pages has told the Labour Court that it has had to undergo a restructuring due to ongoing losses.

Arising from a recommendation from the Labour Court, FCR Media Ltd is to provide enhanced redundancy terms to nine of the firm’s workforce which it is making redundant in Ireland.

This follows the Labour Court recommending that FCR Media give the employees losing their jobs an additional ex gratia payment of €800 per year of service, instead of the additional payment of €600 per year of service originally offered by the firm.

A spokesman for FCR Media said yesterday the firm will abide by the Labour Court recommendation.

At the Labour Court, FCR Media said the company had to effect a restructuring due to ongoing losses and that the company has posted losses for four out of the last six years.

The firm also told the court that it has liabilities preventing them from obtaining additional finance.

The terms of the redundancy were in dispute with trade union Siptu and the case went before the Labour Court after agreement could not be reached locally.

Siptu told the Labour Court that previous redundancy programmes offered enhanced redundancy payments and that the company will make savings.

The FCR Media spokesman said that 11 workers were originally affected, but two have since been redeployed within the company. After the redundancies take place, FCR Media will employ 119 here.