Glass factory staff march over pay row

Workers at a bottle factory warned today they were prepared for a ‘‘long haul’’ of strike action in a row over severance pay.

Nearly 400 striking staff at the Irish Glass Bottle factory were marching on the Dublin offices of the Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation (IBEC) today to complain that management had failed to honour severance pay deals.

The plant in Ringsend, South Dublin, is set to close next month with the loss of around 380 jobs.

The now-disputed severance deals were hammered out recently at Dublin’s Labour Court.

Daithi Doolan, Sinn Fein’s representative for Dublin South East, said: ‘‘The march and rally is part of a rolling series of events to raise the issue of the management’s refusal to accept the recommendations of the Labour Court.

‘‘All the workers understand the wider implications of this strike, that they are not only striking for themselves but also for the future of industrial relations in the state.

‘‘I believe the strike committee will decide on further action down the line, to keep the light of publicity shining on this very important industrial dispute.’’

He added: ‘‘Morale is very high down here and the workers are prepared for the long haul.’’

AA Roadwatch warned of disruption to traffic as the march got under way.

Yesterday, workers brought traffic to a standstill when they blocked the road at the East Link Bridge in Dublin.