Unions representing 4,500 workers at the Avonmore/Waterford Group will meet management on Friday to discuss a voluntary redundancy package for employees. The group is expected to present its overall rationalisation package to the unions early next month.

There has been speculation that Avonmore/Waterford could be looking for between 700 and 1,000 redundancies across its operations. However, a spokesman for the company said yesterday that eight teams were currently reviewing the group's activities worldwide. Until these teams reported back, any references to plant closures or lay-offs were "pure speculation".

He pointed out that some redundancies might be in overseas operations, where most of the workforce is located. There are more than 6,000 employees in Britain and another 1,500 between the US and Belgium. Nevertheless it seems inevitable that many of the gains from the merger of Waterford and Avonmore must come from the rationalisation of operations in Ireland.

This was the issue being addressed by the unions when they met in Portlaoise yesterday. Afterwards, the secretary of the group, Mr John Dwan, of SIPTU, said the two companies had given commitments that there would be no compulsory redundancies before the merger and this remained the position.

The union group steering committee would meet with the company on Friday to discuss the type of voluntary redundancy package that would be on offer.

"There is still no indication at all from the company of its plans," he said. The unions have been told that a detailed presentation will be made to them before the middle of November.