Seán Mac Connell
Dairygold, the Cork based dairy company, has confirmed that it had written to SIPTU on Friday last, seeking a postponement of the union's proposed ballot on industrial action, due to take place this week.
It also confirmed it has contacted the Labour Relations Commission asking that it might intervene in the issue which has arisen as a result of its severance package.
SIPTU, which represents most of the workers at Dairygold which is seeking to reduce its workforce to prevent losses which could exceed €26 million by 2007, has opposed any forced redundancies at the company. It plans to ballot members on the issue of those workers who refused to accept the company's voluntary redundancy package but now find their jobs no longer exist.
The spokesman confirmed a Labour Relations Committee was scheduled for Cork this Wednesday. A Joint Negotiation Forum meeting, chaired by Mr John Horgan, a former Labour Court Chairman, is scheduled for January 15th. "We believe the proposed ballot should be postponed at least until these meetings have been concluded and all other avenues of resolution have been exhausted," said a spokesman last night.