Staff at Jurys express shock at closure

STAFF at Cork’s landmark Jurys Hotel spoke yesterday of their shock, anger and disappointment following news the hotel is to be demolished as part of a €130 million redevelopment.

Séamus Hester, one of up to 250 hotel staff who could lose their jobs next February, said he was only coming to terms with the news now. “The news has only really begun to sink in over the last few days. You feel it in here,” he said, pointing to his heart.

Mr Hester was speaking outside the hotel’s Baltimore Room yesterday after about 140 staff met to discuss their future with SIPTU officials.

Staff agreed to select a negotiating team next Monday to hammer out a range of issues with management.

SIPTU branch secretary Tom O’Driscoll said redundancy, redeployment and re-employment options would be top of their agenda during future talks with hotel management.

Mr O’Driscoll described last Monday’s announcement as a “bombshell”.