Waterford Crystal workers drop profits claim

WATERFORD Crystal workers have dropped their claim against the company for a share of the profits from land sold by the company.

A number of staff attached to the sports and social club at Waterford Crystal’s Cork Road factory in Waterford City lodged the claim and engaged a company of solicitors to pursue their case.

Their claim was based on the fact they’d paid €1.27 from their wages each week towards the sports and social club, in some cases for up to 30 years. The land was rezoned several months ago by Waterford City Council and, in the past fortnight, it was sold for €32.9 million to Newry-based property developer Gerard O’Hare.

A spokesman for the group which lodged the claim confirmed last night that they were not pursuing the case.

“This sale was completed a lot quicker than we had imagined. We had a number of people who were willing to fight the case, but not enough,” he said. “It wasn’t until we announced at a union meeting that we were dropping the claim that others said they wanted to come on board.

“We have dropped this aspect of the claim, but we are keeping an eye on the future status of other buildings used by our group,” said the man who did not want to be named.

Waterford Crystal had always maintained that the title to the land was not in question and the company had vowed to fight any effort by staff to glean their share of the sale.The former Waterford Crystal site is zoned for 110,000 square foot of retail warehousing.

Mr O’Hare is proceeding with the design and development of a mixed-use site which would feature retail, hotel and leisure facilities.

“This site backs onto Ballybeg and we are anxious that any development would be in line with what the community there wants and needs. We think we can bring a new heart into Ballybeg and extend it into a new village,” Mr O’Hare said recently.

He said the former crystal sports and social club lands have huge potential.

“We hope to be in a position to create up to 1,000 full-time jobs. Its something we have done in previous developments.

“When we take possession of the lands, hopefully in the next few weeks, we would hope to be in a position to enter into extensive consultation with the local community and work in partnership with them and all work together,” he said.