Charleville Kerry plant staff give strike notice

THE escalation of a dispute between management and workers at the Kerry Group plant in Charleville is set to see almost 70 staff down tools at the facility next Monday.

A Kerry Group spokesman insisted the company had done all it could to avoid the industrial action.

However, SIPTU organiser Terry Bryan said the decision to implement the stoppage was in response to a management refusal to attend a conciliation meeting at the WRC to discuss proposed changes to workers’ terms and conditions of employment.

“The one-day stoppage is avoidable if the company complies with the agreed dispute resolution procedures and attends the proposed WRC meeting,” he said.

WORKERS at the Kerry Group plant in Charleville will down tools for the day next Monday following the escalation of a dispute over working practices.

The 68 workers in the Cheese String production section of the plant, which employs a total workforce of more than 250, have voted by a margin of 94% to 6% to take industrial action after being balloted by their SIPTU union.

A Kerry Group spokesman told The Corkman that the company had introduced changes to working procedures and schedules across the plant that had been accepted in all the other departments.

He said the Cheese String brand had “broadened its reach” to nine additional countries and the changes had been introduced to sustain growth and “meet the changing market place and customer demands.”

The spokesman said the company had made “every effort” to resolve the dispute with the 68 workers,but had been left “frustrated” in their efforts to sustain this growth.

“During 2016 we engaged in 11 local meetings, with the Workplace Relations Commission ( WRC) on seven occasions and once with the Labour Relations Committee (LRC),” said the spokesman.

“Despite this no progress has been made. We have endeavoured to resolve the matter, but have been frustrated in our efforts. We feel that at this stage we have exhausted all avenues open to us.”

SIPTU organiser Terry Bryan said the decision to implement Monday’s stoppage was in response to a management refusal to attend a conciliation meeting at the WRC to discuss the proposed changes to workers terms and conditions of employment.

“Our members have voted in favour of taking industrial action as a direct result of a management decision to withdraw from the WRC process. This provocative step by management is clearly in breach of the agreed dispute resolution procedures at the company,” said Mr Bryan.

He said the collective agreement on dispute resolution clearly stated that should a matter remain unresolved then it should be referred to the appropriate third-party body, in this case the WRC.

“The items that are in dispute include proposed changes to shift patterns and terms, job rotation and appointments. The matters were due before the Labour Court on November 28 last. However, management withdrew from that scheduled hearing and have now refused to attend a conciliation meeting the WRC,” said Mr Bryan.

“The one-day stoppage is avoidable if the company complies with the agreed dispute resolution procedures and attends the proposed WRC meeting,” he concluded.