Cool Reaction To Lay-Offs At Refrigeration Plant

Pickets are expected to be mounted at a strike-hit refrigeration plant in Dublin tomorrow.

The staff of around 80 workers at a north Dublin manufacturer are due walk out in a dispute over lay-offs.

Siptu members at Novum Refrigeration in Coolock say the company has always operated lay-offs on a last-in-first-out basis.

But Siptu's Gerry Lynch said this changed without consultation at the end of January when 28 workers - some with up to 25 years service - were temporarily laid off while juniors whom they had trained were retained.

Mr Lynch said a number of alternatives put to management were rejected: "It was apparent that they were not interested in compromise and at no time were willing to comply with normal industrial relations procedures," Mr Lynch said.

The company said the workers were selected for lay-offs on the basis of the production line they worked on. Those retained were familiar with the production line that was remaining operational and that switching workers around could have caused disruption. Selection for lay-offs was in line with the union agreement, it said.

"Novum has shown its commitment to the continued development of the company's new facility at Coolock with substantial investment in its expansion and in R&D and had anticipated a year of further growth in sales and exports in 2008.

"The company has put huge effort and investment into its manufacturing operation at Coolock, and the unwarranted Siptu industrial action is a blow to its positive plans," Novum Managing Director Joe Jordan said.

The laid off workers are due to return to work on March 3rd, but Mr Lynch said he was concerned the same situation may arise again. Workers at the plant are also concerned that the company may be planning to move its operation to a sister plant in Ballinalough, Co Roscommon.

(BMcC)