Cadbury’s strike action is called off
Day of talks leads to a resolution over outsourcing
THE strike at the Cadbury plant in Coolock was called off late last night as unions and the company consider proposals from a successful day of negotiations.
The mood was positive last night at the Workplace Relations Commission as the issue of out- sourcing appeared to have been resolved.
After nearly 12 hours of talks, representatives from the unions, Siptu and Unite, and employer Cadbury’s reached what could become an agreement, said Kieran Mulvey, head of the WRC.
It is now hoped that work at the Dublin plant could resume as early as tonight. ‘We’ve had a set of constructive negotiations with both parties throughout the day,’ Mr Mulvey told RTÉ last night. ‘Both parties came in and worked with [us] throughout the day.
‘We’re in the hopeful position of i ndicating that we’ve reached agreement on a set of proposals which both parties need now to bring back to their principles – in the case of the union, the shop stewards, and in the case of the company, to their shareholders, I suppose, or the principles. In this context, the issue of outsourcing has been resolved, and a few new sets of comprehensive proposals will hopefully be put to ballot to the members of both unions in both plants.
‘We are hopeful that arising from [last] night that normal work will resume in both plants as of [tonight] but that will await a final decision from the shop stewards.’
Around 220 workers went on strike on Thursday at a production plant in Coolock, Co. Dublin, and continued their protest yesterday. The strike came after Mondelez, the multinational which owns the brand Cadbury, decided to outsource 17 jobs without agreement.
Last night the unions confirmed that the strike had been called off. Siptu sector organiser John Dunne, said: ‘ Following discussions, the Workplace Relations Commission has put forward proposals which achieve
‘We’ll ballot our members’
cost savings at the company but do not involve the outsourcing of jobs. On the basis that outsourcing is now off the table, Siptu and Unite members have decided to suspend their strike action.
‘Siptu and Unite will convene a joint shop stewards meeting and then proceed to ballot our members on these proposals,’ Mr. Dunne added.
A statement from Cadbury’s/Mondelez l ast night said: ‘ Following intense negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission, Mondelez Irel and welcomes t he si gnificant progress made over the course of the day. A comprehensive proposal has been recommended by the WRC and the company welcomes the suspension of industrial action.
‘The Mondelez manufacturing business in Ireland remains under intense pressure from international competition. The changes planned, which include the investment of €11.7million in new chocolate-making technology, are essential to help address competitiveness at the Coolock site.’
Earlier in the week, the unions expressed grave concern over the outsourcing of the jobs, and the potential implications. Unite said the move by Cadbury/Mondelez to outsource the 17 core jobs heralded a move away from good, permanent, pensionable jobs to precarious work.
Gerry McCormack, Siptu manufacturing division organiser, said the attempt to outsource jobs was seen as a further erosion of the plant’s viability, following the movement of the production of Time Out bars to Poland. He added: ‘Workers at the plant have, over recent years, agreed to the major restructuring of operations and changes in work practices.
‘However, the attempt by the management of Mondelez International to further downgrade the plant’s operations has caused outrage and increased fears among the workforce about its long-term commitment to the facility.’
The company had warned that the strike endangered the 700 jobs at Cadbury plants in Dublin and Kerry.
No action took place at the Cadbury plant in Rathmore, Co. Kerry.
The Coolock plant employs around 350 staff and made over 30,000 tonnes of Flake, Twirl, Boost bars last year.