Vita staff to get statutory payment next week

The former Vita Cortex workers have been told they will receive their statutory redundancy entitlements from the Department of Social Protection early next week — but their protest at the manufacturing plant in Cork will go on.

The workers’ union, Siptu, said it had been told by Social Protection Minister Joan Burton the payment of two weeks’ wages per year of service would be made to the staff next Monday.

However, the board and management of Vita Cortex say they will not be paying the 0.9% ex gratia payment demanded by their former employees on top of the statutory redundancy.