Unions in the Avonmore Waterford Group have told the company they will not participate in its task force to create alternative employment for more than 700 workers being made redundant. They say that involvement in the task force would be used by the company as "propaganda" to suggest that large scale redundancies and the closure of plants were acceptable to the communities affected.

"While a measure of agreement may be possible on some minor aspects of the plan, and a limited number of voluntary redundancies can be agreed, there is no prospect of any measure of co-operation with the proposed closure of plants in Dungarvan, Rathfarnham, Clonmel and Dundalk", according to SIPTU regional secretary, Mr John Dwan. The loss of the Dungarvan plant and the Dublin plant at Rathfarnham are expected to create particular problems for the company.