With the industrial dispute at the Fulflex plant in Limerick deadlocked after eight weeks, the management has placed advertisements in local newspapers to put its case. Limerick City Council members yesterday joined the picket line in support of the workers and the council is expected to discuss the crisis.
The ICTU-backed stoppage by members of SIPTU, TEU and MSF is over new working procedures involving the introduction of a swipe-card time-recording system.
A statement placed in the newspapers, described as "the facts" by the company, declared that the employees on strike have not agreed after 18 months' discussions to increased machine speeds already paid for under an existing agreement even though the Labour Court unequivocally recommended the increased speeds.
The statement added: "Employees on strike have refused to accept that the current excessive extent of rest and meal breaks of up to two-and-a-half hours per eight-hour day must be controlled back to the level already agreed with SIPTU of less than half this excessive amount. The union has put forward no alternatives on how to achieve this control, which is essential for restoring quality and efficiency at the Limerick factory.
"The formal company/SIPTU agreement categorically states that the changes such as mentioned above should be carried out under protest if necessary while any ensuing grievances are dealt with under agreed procedures. SIPTU members have refused to adhere to this on both the above issues and have chosen to go on strike", said the statement. The company said a "striking employee typically earns" more than £400 per week, receives an annual bonus of around £2,000 and has life assurance, pension scheme, subsidised VHI and canteen". Fulflex International employs 130 people and is operating in Limerick for 30 years manufacturing elastic tapes, threads and rings and "certainly hopes to continue to do so. However, what is needed is a positive and flexible attitude to necessary changes required to maintain our competitiveness worldwide", said the company.
The 100-plus workers involved in the dispute claim there are poor industrial relations in the plant and that management has refused to negotiate through agreed procedures. "The company implemented its proposals regardless of our agreement on procedures", said a union spokesman.
The unions also dispute a management claim that they are on strike. Mr Alan O'Leary, a SIPTU branch secretary, said his members were locked out, as they got letters of suspension.
So far, all conciliation talks have failed and the Labour Relations Commission has told both parties it is available for talks.