Element 6 workers to begin industrial action ballot

Workers at Element 6 in Shannon are due to begin a ballot for industrial action today over the redundancy terms being offered to around 200 employees.

The industrial diamond manufacturer was initially planning to lay off 370 workers at the Co Clare facility.

It announced last week that it had agreed a survival plan that would save almost 170 of those jobs.

However, the workers are refusing to co-operate with the plan unless improved redundancy terms are offered to employees who will be let go.

Talks between management and unions broke down last night without agreement and the company put all staff members on protective notice.