Waterford Crystal - Sit-ins not the answer

IT would be hard to exaggerate the dire repercussions of the closure of Waterford Crystal for a beleaguered region already reeling from job losses.

In these dark days, however, there is a danger that the sit-in by workers at Waterford Crystal could have serious repercussions for Ireland’s global image. With the economy in tatters, we need international headlines about industrial strife like the proverbial hole in the head.

Nevertheless, it has to be said that the suddenness of the closure, with the loss of 480 jobs, has exacerbated an already fraught situation. Having run out of money, the receiver had no option under the law but to cease manufacturing at the plant.