Bookbinders continue Wicklow sit-in

Fourteen workers at the country's largest bookbinders have pledged to continue their occupation of its premises in Wicklow this…

Fourteen workers at the country's largest bookbinders have pledged to continue their occupation of its premises in Wicklow this weekend in a dispute over plans to close its Irish operation.

An independent assessor was appointed by the Labour Relations Commission on Monday to carry out an examination of the viability of Reilly Bookbinders.

The appointment was made after management signalled that it was prepared to reverse an earlier decision to close its plant in Co Wicklow and transfer work to eastern Europe.

Staff at the company voted early this week to accept proposals put forward by the LRC to settle a dispute over the management's plans to close the Irish operation. However, ten women and four men are to continue with an occupation of the premises until the independent assessment is completed.

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Employees at Reilly Bookbinders have been engaged in a sit-in at the premises since July 18th following an announcement by management that it planned to close its operation in Wicklow, where it has been based for nearly 30 years, and transfer work to the Czech Republic.

The company had said that its operation in Co Wicklow was insolvent.

Preliminary figures on the company's finances have been sent to the union by the LRC appointed assessor, Brian Aylward.

The organiser of the Irish Print Group division within Siptu, Shane McKean, said today that a final report was not now expected before Tuesday.

Reilly Bookbinders has been in Co Wicklow for 30 years but was taken over by Dunne and Wilson (Ireland) Ltd in 2003. The firm restores books for customers like the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Agriculture, and the Courts Service.