Workers to maintain industrial action
Production at the GE Superabrasives plant in the Clonshaugh Industrial Estate stopped yesterday as around 100 employees began a 48-hour strike.
The SIPTU union member strikers said the action was being taken following the decision of the company’s parent General Electric to sell its shares in GE Superabrasives to another US firm, Littlejohn Corporation, without any guarantees made to the staff.
SIPTU members represent the majority of the 160-strong workforce at GE Superabrasives, which makes industrial diamonds largely for the export market. GE Superabrasives has been operating in Ireland since 1981.
Union spokesperson Gerry Lynch said employees had already suffered a series of restructuring plans over the past decade which saw staff levels fall by over two-thirds.
“The remaining staff now believe that their commitment to the company has been ignored and their long service devalued,” Mr Lynch said.
He said the main issue centred on the management’s refusal to guarantee current severance packages would remain in place going into the future.
SIPTU has also served notice of further strike action starting next Wednesday unless the outstanding issues can be resolved.
The union is also concerned about a goodwill payment and the loss of access of its members to the GE Share Option Scheme following the transfer of ownership to Littlejohn next January.
It is understood little progress resulted from a five-hour meeting between management and union representatives on Thursday.
A statement issued by the company said industrial action had been taken despite assurances to staff that all their terms and conditions of employment would continue under the proposed new ownership.
While management expressed disappointment at the decision of its workers to take industrial action, GE Superabrasives chief executive John Higgins said the company remained committed to reaching a settlement.
