Industrial unrest - Compromise needed in Brinks row

TWO troubling developments with far-reaching implications for workers and consumers burst onto the industrial relations scene yesterday.

On one front, Ireland’s biggest co-op, Dairygold, announced plans to shed 270 jobs in Tipperary and Cork. On the other, the Brinks Allied ATM dispute edged closer to a nationwide strike.

Both developments illustrate the importance for both companies and unions to adopt an open-handed approach to crucial negotiations.