Workers feel betrayed wage cut deal not accepted to save IFI

BETRAYAL — that was the word workers used to describe yesterday’s 620 job losses at Irish Fertilizer Industries.

Employees at the Marino Point plant in Cobh, Co Cork, always knew they were the most vulnerable of the three plants if the axe was to fall. But they had hoped their offer to take large wage cuts would save not just their operation but the other IFI plants as well.

Stephen O’Riordan, workers’ representative at Marino Point, accused the Government and company shareholders of “betrayal”.