Redundancy deal will not change ‘under any circumstances’

GREENCORE Irish Sugar yesterday declined an invitation to attend the Labour Court and firmly warned the redundancy package offered to former workers would “not be changed under any circumstances”.

The Labour Court had invited both the company and the unions representing the workers to attend a sitting to give further clarification of its ruling on how much redundancy the workers are entitled to.

The court has already had one full hearing on the situation and offered two written clarifications, but as both sides took different views on that ruling it decided to call both together to give a full explanation.

The unions had said they would gladly attend another sitting saying it would vindicate its position.

However, yesterday workers received letters from the company’s head of production Joe Walsh saying the financial claim by the union amounted to them getting “paid on the double” and was in breach of company/union agreements.

“On that basis Irish Sugar does not perceive any purpose can be served by re-entering further discussions or negotiations on the issue again,” said Mr Walsh. “The Irish Sugar redundancy package is full and fair, is consistent with company/union agreements and will not be changed under any circumstances.”

He also reiterated the threat that if the workers engaged in any strike action the company would withdraw the payment of an orderly shutdown bonus valued at up to €7,000.

The workers unions will meet later this week to decide whether they will revert to the strike action they had planned at Greencore’s Mallow plant. That action was called off to allow the labour court to reconvene.