IFI workers willing to take pay cut
Stephen Murphy, workers’ representative at the Marino Point plant in Cobh, Co Cork, said he and colleague Tom Morrissey had met with SIPTU and two craft unions yesterday to discuss what the 200 employees could do to save the ailing plant.
“We’re prepared to make some sacrifices to keep the factory open and these sacrifices would include wage cuts if necessary,” Mr O’Riordan said.
He said workers had given a commitment to senior management at IFI that they would actively participate in any cost-cutting measures needed to keep the Marino Point plant going through what is likely to be a difficult next 12 months because of an oversupply of 1.5 million tonnes of fertiliser on the European market.
“We are also looking at how to improve efficiency. We know we’re not going to get a second shot at this,” Mr O’Riordan said.
He said that while workers were prepared to play their part, they wanted a complete root and branch appraisal of the company carried out to ensure any cost-cutting required would be done across the board.
Members of IFI’s board of management are to meet with Tánaiste Mary Harney again next Monday at which point they are expected to put forward their own proposals on the future of the Cobh operation. IFI has two other plants, at Arklow and Belfast, but the Cobh plant is seen as the most likely to be axed in any rationalisation.
Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern said he was pleased workers at the plant were taking a responsible attitude. “I also believe that IFI management should hand over all the financial information they can to the worker directors and the unions to aid them,” Minister Ahern said.
He added that if IFI was able to provide the Tánaiste with evidence that restructuring would lead to profitability, then he was sure the Government would give the company the time and “all the necessary support it needed” while it tried to turn the corner.
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