Factory workers set to back deal

MORE than 120 workers at Waterford Stanley are today expected to back a deal which would see them get a €500 productivity bonus for a move to a new factory three miles away.

The company issued staff with protective notice last Thursday after they refused to drop their demand for a €2,300 relocation bonus before the move.

The staff, who are members of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU), will today vote on a revised package brokered during six hours of talks at the Labour Relations Commission on Monday.

While the protective notice still applies, if the deal is accepted it will see 120 jobs being saved.

The company yesterday said that, following a conciliation conference at the Labour Relations Commission in Waterford on Monday, the chairman, Brian McGinn, issued a recommendation which was acceptable to both Waterford Stanley Ltd management and trade union representatives.

“The factory workforce is to vote on the terms of the recommendation tomorrow, Wednesday,” the company’s statement continued.

The relocation plan has been ongoing for 10 months. The company had already agreed to pay workers €450 to relocate. A further €150 is promised on certain productivity grounds. The company says staff also have a chance to earn a further €2,070 in productivity bonuses, on top of their average pay of €30,000.