Blarney Woollen Mills Dispute in Bunratty Invited to Attend Labour Relations Commission (LRC)
Friday 22 January 2010The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) has intervened in an industrial relations dispute between workers in the Blarney Woollen Mills in Bunratty, Co. Clare and their employer. Two of the workers involved were made redundant and have been on strike since Monday, 11th January along with their colleagues.
Both parties have now accepted the invitation into conciliation talks due to take place this Monday, 25 January 2010 at 11am in the Radisson Hotel in Limerick.
Brian Higgins, Mandate Trade Union’s Divisional Organiser for the Mid-West, said, “The workers have welcomed this intervention from the LRC and we are all looking forward to attending the conciliation hearing on Monday morning.
“We are hopeful that the company will be willing to see sense in this issue and we will be able to find an amicable solution to the problem in the immediate future through the LRC. Until then the workers will be continuing their strike action which has been very effective given the public and local support for the strike”
Mr Higgins explained that the two individuals made redundant, Chef/Manager, John Quinn, and Second Chef, Aidan Guiry, had given 12 years and 9.5 years service respectively to the company.
“At a meeting with the company on 14 December last, they informed us that they were making John and Aidan redundant as part of a rationalisation programme. The company has only offered statutory redundancy and have not been prepared to negotiate on an enhanced redundancy payment,” Brian Higgins said.
“The company informed us that they would be combining roles and functions with the Bunratty Hotel which is part of the Blarney Woollen Mills Group. In this context, the union indicated to Blarney Woollen Mills that it would be prepared to consider redeployment to the hotel, given that the two chefs being made redundant had longer service than the chefs employed in the Bunratty Hotel. In this regard, it’s worth noting that the company handbook states that redundancies will be on a last in, first out basis, with key employees being retained to maintain an efficient operation.”
Brian Higgins said that despite the representations made by the Mandate Trade Union, on 21 December last, the company has proceeded with the two compulsory redundancies.
“It would seem that the company has not adhered to its own policy in that the two employees selected are key people and they also have the longest service. This is simply not acceptable and we will continue to fight this decision with all of our resources and determination possible.”
