Talks due this week at Offaly meat plant after further one-day strike averted

A UNION representing workers at Carroll Cuisine in Tullamore has said company management has agreed to enter talks this week.

The development resulted in SIPTU suspending its plan for a 12-hour work stoppage which was due to take place yesterday (Saturday, November 22).

SIPTU said the talks aim to secure a collective agreement that will deliver improvements in pay and conditions for workers at the meat-processing plant.

SIPTU Manufacturing Divisional Organiser, Neil McGowan, said on Friday: “Today’s movement by management to agree to talks with a focus on reaching an agreement and indicating a willingness to recognise the union as representing their workforce is a major step forward. We still have a long way to go, but we are hopeful that a collective agreement dealing with all outstanding issues in relation to pay, annual-leave entitlements, sick-pay and other conditions for workers can be secured in the near future.

“The breakthrough comes after three days of industrial action by production-line workers over pay, conditions and the right to collective bargaining. Credit for this progress lies entirely with our members in the plant, who stood firm and united in taking the industrial action necessary to move management into a position where it became serious about resolving these longstanding workplace issues.

“The support of the local community and the solidarity shown by the wider trade-union movement have also been crucial in getting us to a point where management at Carroll’s Cuisine have formally acknowledged the union’s role and committed to engaging next week in negotiations guided by a genuine collective-bargaining process.

“These talks will focus on the staff’s longstanding demands for fair wages and clear recognition of their right to be represented by a trade union.”

Mr McGowan added: “While the suspension of the stoppage acknowledges management’s new willingness to engage with our union, the dispute is not settled. We will enter the negotiations in a positive manner with a clear focus on improving pay and terms and conditions for our members, we have come too far not see a fair agreement.”

SIPTU said the negotiations are scheduled for early this week.