Fight workers did not want
FOR those who travel the Drogheda to Baltray road over the past six weeks, they will by now, be aware of a group of men who are on the picket line on the entrance to the RHI Magnesia Plant.
This is probably better known to locals as Premier Periclase, the company which succeeded the original Cement Factory in 1978 and has been part of the landscape on the Boyne since the middle of the last century.
The dispute at the plant is the first major disagreement between the workers and management since production began there. Pickets were placed on the company on the 17th August last when negotiations which began in June failed to resolve the dispute between the workers and management.
Whilst the dispute itself was referred to the WRC for resolution, it is now set to be referred to the Labour Court as conciliation at WRC failed, the men themselves on the picket line have to endure loss of earnings and the hardship which they believe is unjustly imposed upon them.
As employees, Stephen Reilly and Ronan McEntee explain; “We have been employed at the plant with service ranging from 42 years down to the more recent recruit hired in just 5 years ago.
‘We never thought we would see the day that we would be picketing, especially in 2020. It was not a decision which we took lightly. We simply had no choice. We believe that this action could have been avoided if reasonable attitudes prevailed at the outset.
‘ There are young men here on this picket line and they have young families to rear and mortgages to manage. They have to look to the future and endeavour to preserve the living conditions they presently have.
‘ They fear that they will not be able to maintain these modest living conditions, given what is being proposed by the company. We also had a fellow worker here who had to suffer the indignity of his retirement from the company on the picket line after practically giving his working life in service to the company.
‘We have always managed to negotiate and work our way through pay agreements, short term and other employee industrial matters which have arisen in the past. However, in recent times, terms which were part of our working conditions have unilaterally been withdrawn causing great anxiety for all our futures and these actions will impose a change to all our living standards.
‘There are young men here on this picket line and they have young families to rear and mortgages to manage’
‘We would like to see urgency now, rather than ultimatums’
‘We are not averse, and never have been, to allowing our Unions to negotiate on our behalf, but we are annoyed that the terms and conditions discussed and agreed in good faith over many years should be withdrawn without any consultation.
‘We would like to see some urgency now, rather than ultimatums, following six weeks since the dispute began, to resolve the issues which are at the centre of our dispute. We are reasonable people who simply ask that fairness apply in all our dealings.
‘Our loyalty and commitment to the company over the years supports our present stance in what we believe to be genuine. However, we have to consider our families and the commitments we have all entered into based on our working conditions.’
Whatever about the rudiments of this dispute, it does seem that there is at least moral support for the men on the picket line with the volume of walkers and traffic passing by, all showing signs of empathy and support.