All 281 employees of Coca-Cola in Drogheda will be back at work this morning, following the resolution of a three-week strike by 16 craftworkers. They are to receive £5,000 each as compensation for changes in work practices.
Since the strike began 151 employees at the company's Drogheda plant have been laid off. There were fears that the long-term future of the plant might be at risk if the dispute was protracted. Its payroll is worth £10 million a year to the local economy.
The plant produces concentrates for export. Supplies of Coca-Cola products to the Irish market have not been affected by the dispute.
A settlement was reached in the early hours of yesterday morning, following intensive negotiations over the weekend.
Craftworkers have agreed to the implementation of the company's "Plan for Change", which has already been negotiated with the main union at the plant, SIPTU.
The agreement includes a new, performance-based bonus scheme, team-working and annualised hours. The annualised hours will come into operation from January 1st.
Neither side would disclose details of the agreement, but it is understood that it includes a once-off payment of £5,000 to each of the striking craftworkers. This is to compensate them for the loss of work to outside contractors, which could affect their future overtime earnings.
There was strong pressure on the strikers to settle, both from the local community and from some other employees at the plant.
Welcoming the resolution of the dispute yesterday, Mr Tommy Whyte, a TEEU official, said he wanted to congratulate the strikers on their principled stand and he said he was proud to be associated with them.
Coca-Cola's director of external affairs, Ms Miriam Doyle, said the company was delighted the dispute was over. It looked forward to maximising the potential of the Drogheda plant.
She thanked employees and community leaders for their support during the past three weeks.