Bruton urged to visit Vita Cortex

FIANNA Fáil leader Micheál Martin has called on Jobs Minister Richard Bruton to meet with staff at Vita Cortex in Cork as a matter of urgency.

Mr Martin described the treatment of the workers as “appalling”. He said everything must be done to ensure staff were paid the redundancy they are owed.

In a statement he said: “What is happening here is nothing short of disgraceful. The Vita Cortex employees were promised as far back as September that they would be paid redundancy of 2.9 weeks per year of service.”

He said it was “a disgrace” the workers had to occupy the building to have their voices heard. “The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation Richard Bruton must come to Cork as a matter of urgency to meet with the workers and listen to their concerns.”

In a statement last night, Mr Bruton expressed his concern at the continuing stalemate at Vita Cortex and urged both parties to use the state’s industrial relations machinery to help solve the dispute.

His office has been in contact with representatives of Vita Cortex workers in SIPTU and advised them the issue of redundancy payments had transferred to the Department of Social Protection.