Strike action likely at Greencore

THE unions representing Greencore workers are to serve strike action on the company later this week.

The workers are expected to commence industrial action in the first week of October.

Gerry McCormack confirmed the strike action following a meeting of the unions representing the workers, TEEU, Amicus and SIPTU, in Portlaoise yesterday.

The action will begin in Mallow, Co Cork, and involve picketing of the plant to interrupt the sugar packaging and any other activities taking place there.

Last April, an overwhelming majority of SIPTU, AMICUS and TEEU workers in Mallow, Carlow and Thurles backed action, arising from the collapse of redundancy talks with parent company Greencore.

The matter has been sent to the Labour Court and despite repeated clarification of its decision both sides are divided as to what the redundancy entitlements are for the workers who left their jobs when the factory stopped producing Irish sugar in March.

The strike did not go ahead in April because workers wanted to allow the dispute to be resolved through political means, not least the National Implementation Body.

However, as yet the NIB has not provided any ruling on the dispute and the unions have decided to press ahead with the action.

“It is regrettable that it has come to this point,” said the chairman of the former workers’ group, Kieran Buckley. “We had hoped this could be avoided but (Greencore chief executive) David Dilger has forced our hand in this matter.”

This Saturday, the former workers, families and local representatives are holding a mass rally in Mallow.

Mr Buckley said it would be the first step in a campaign to get their full entitlements and subsequent action was being planned.

They have also called on their fellow trade unionists in both Ireland and Britain to support a boycott of all Greencore products, which includes Hazelwood Foods and associated subsidiaries.