Liebherr staff await clarity on three-day week fears
STAFF at the Liebherr base in Killarney could be put on a three-day week by September as management seek to avoid job losses.
That’s according to SIPTU officials who said that an offer of a three-day week was put forward by Liebherr at a meeting with the union two weeks ago – but no formal notification has been made to the 800 staff working at the Killarney factory.
It is understood that the company put this offer on the table to avoid further job losses as 27 jobs have already been lost at the Fossa factory in recent months, and a further 180 are also at risk, it is claimed.
It is understood that the company is considering the introduction of a three-day week in September but staff have received no formal notification of this proposal, and negotiations are ongoing between SIPTU and Liebherr management. There are also other unions operating at the factory.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, on a visit to Kerry last week, said that the offer of a three-day week was due to “decreasing orders and stiff competition from other companies”. He said that the Government would sit down with Liebherr to see what can be done to save jobs.
“What we’ll certainly do as a Government, through the IDA and Minister Humphreys, is to sit down with Liebherr and to talk to them about what can be done to deal with the underlying problem, which is that they aren’t getting the pipeline of orders that they would have been in the past, and that probably involves management and the unions and employees getting together to work out a programme of competitiveness,” he said.
Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin also expressed his concerns on the potential loss of jobs, news of which emerged just days before his visit. FF TD John Brassil said that the IDA and Minister must engage with the company to see what supports can be provided “to retain what are 800 high-quality, wellpaid jobs that are critical to the economy of Kerry,” he said.
SIPTU representaive Joe Kelly said that workers are in the dark as to what exactly is happening.
“Information is coming slowly, and workers are upset and distressed. There is no information on names or numbers going on a three-day week,” he said.
However, it is understood that the majority of workers may be affected.
SIPTU and company management will meet again in the coming weeks to discuss the situation, and it is hoped that alternatives can be found to help staff at the factory.
The company is one of Killarney and Kerry’s biggest employers and, aside from the 800 staff at the Killarney, plant contractors and local business also rely on the factory for much of their work.
The Kerryman attempted to contact Liebherr but had not received a response at the time of going to print.