Strike underway at midlands food producer

A 24-hour strike is underway at vegetable and salad producers Milne Foods in Birr, Co Offaly.

SIPTU says the row centres on the company's failure to implement Labour Court recommendations calling for a meeting with workers representatives to discuss improving pay and conditions.

The Union wants premiums for overtime and shift work to be paid.

50 of the 85 workers at the Syngefield Industrial Estate plant are represented by SIPTU.

"We have had two attempts to go to mediation via the LRC, both of them were turned down by the company," Shop Steward John Carty said.

"We then went and got our recommendation from the court successfully - the company did not attend there either."

During two meetings with management, a deal was put to employees, he said, in which the union had no role in discussing or agreeing.

"Now they are telling us that they don't recognise us again, so we are back to where we were a year ago."