E6 unions reject ‘blue flu’ unofficial action claim

UNIONS at troubled diamond firm Element Six last night rejected a charge by management that workers are engaging in ‘blue flu’ style unofficial action.

SIPTU and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) dismissed the claim after earlier confirming their members overwhelmingly voted in favour of official industrial action over the terms of a redundancy deal on offer.

A further 207 workers are losing their jobs at the Shannon plant.

With a 94% turnout, 99% of SIPTU members and 100% of TEEU members backed the ballot.

SIPTU branch organiser Mary O’Donnell said: “We hope such a resounding result will encourage management to engage more meaningfully with us on agreeing a reasonable redundancy offer.

“In doing so, we can clear the way for talks on the survival plan and the protection of future employment in Shannon.”

Regional secretary of the TEEU, Pat Keane said: “The result sends a very, very strong signal to management. The talks on a rescue plan can only resume when the company agrees to increase its redundancy offer.”

In his response to the result, Element Six general manager Ken Sullivan said: “All of us working here in Shannon should show that we can agree on a plan that will sustain jobs here. Clearly anything which disrupts operations can have no positive effect whatsoever. Again, I urge all involved to work together to save jobs, not take actions that can only endanger them.”

The ballot took place after talks failed on Wednesday between the two sides on a survival plan aimed at preserving 163 of the 370 jobs originally earmarked to be cut.

However, in a letter to union representatives yesterday, Element Six human resources manager Tadgh O’Halloran accused workers of engaging in “blue flu” unofficial action. He claimed “normal work is not being carried out”.

“There is significant evidence of ‘blue flu’ given the sudden spike in uncertified sick days, added to the fact that we are now seeing production output levels lower than when we had a 50% short-time arrangement in place,” Mr O’Halloran stated. “The situation is not tenable or sustainable. Such actions only serve to damage the business and will do nothing to benefit any employees in the short or long term.”

Last night, spokesmen for both SIPTU and the TEEU rejected Mr O’Halloran’s claim that workers have engaged in “blue-flu” action.

Mr Keane from the TEEU said: “I totally reject that. Our members have always completely co-operated with the company.”