Crystal workers stage protest at receiver’s firm

A GROUP of Waterford Crystal workers staged a protest at the Dublin offices of accountancy firm Deloitte for two hours yesterday to highlight their anger at the actions of Deloitte partner David Carson in his role as receiver of the troubled glassware firm.

About 14 past and present employees demanded payments worth an estimated €5 million owed to workers at the plant.

Mr Carson closed the Kilbarry plant last Friday resulting in a sit-in protest at the factory, which is now entering its sixth day.

Trade union Unite, which represents the majority of workers at Waterford, said the protest was designed to bring the attention of Deloitte’s 1,100 staff in Ireland to the firm’s poor handling of the situation at the company.

The group entered the premises of Deloitte’s headquarters on Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin at about 11am yesterday.

Gardaí were called to the building after the workers staged a sit-in in the reception area, following a brief scuffle with a private security guard.

However, the group agreed to call off the protest at 1pm after two senior partners of Deloitte, David Deasy and Pat Cullen, agreed to meet a small delegation of the protesters.

Waterford employee, Tom Hogan, said: “We want to say we are not human waste that can be set aside when we are surplus to requirement.”

Deloitte said they had to look after all stakeholders, said Mr Hogan.

The group said they expected the Government to take the company into public ownership if no investor was prepared to take over Waterford Crystal.

Meanwhile, Waterford Crystal workers are to hold a rally today.

Protestors will gather at the AIB bank at Paddy Brown’s Road at 3.45pm and march down the Cork Road in Waterford.

A Save Waterford Crystal campaign on the networking site, Facebook, has attracted 2,600 members.