Union willing to negotiate ‘just’ Cortex settlement

Siptu said it is willing to negotiate with Vita Cortex to deliver a “just settlement” for its former workers after company bosses called last night for talks to end the 12-week sit-in.

But the union stood firm on the disputed amount at the centre of the ex-gratia redundancy payment dispute and it said it is 0.9 of a week per year of service — about €372,000.

“Siptu is unequivocal in restating, on the behalf of the workers, that the owners of Vita Cortex must make this payment in full,” Siptu’s Anne Eager said. “The amount outstanding is just over €370,000 — a sum which it has been clearly demonstrated can be raised by the owners of Vita Cortex.”