Talks to resolve the strike by 16 craftworkers at Coca Cola's Drogheda plant have broken down, writes Padraig Yeates.
So far 151 of the 281-strong workforce have been laid off as a result of the dispute and there now seems little prospect of it being resolved this side of Christmas.
The craftworkers, members of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, met last night to discuss settlement terms brokered by the Labour Relations Committee in six hours of talks yesterday. While the strikers acknowledged that there had been some concessions by the company they still voted to reject the proposals.
Coca-Cola management has already signed up SIPTU, which represents the bulk of the workforce, for its Plan for Change and says it can no longer delay full implementation.