Union representatives of the 280 Glanbia workers at Edenderry, Co Offaly, claim management has promised none will be laid off and that the plant, which was destroyed by fire on Sunday morning, will be rebuilt.
Seán Nolan, Siptu branch organiser in the county, said after a meeting with management yesterday that the company was committed to redeploying all staff at its plants in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, although he added the majority would see a "substantial" cut in their working hours.
"We have asked for everything they committed to today, to be given to us in writing," he said. "We will be picking that up at 9.30 in the morning and addressing all staff at 10am."
Following an address by Siptu officials at the GAA pavilion adjacent to the burnt-out pig-processing plant, management will address staff at 11am.
Mr Nolan said management had told him and shop stewards that the "skills and the people in Edenderry" would be "shifted" to Roscrea, about 90km away. While all staff in Edenderry had been working full-time, 60 full-time and 120 part-time positions would be on offer in Roscrea. There would be no offer of redundancy.
The fate of the remaining workers on protective notice remained unclear. Union officials acknowledged confusion over the numbers of staff affected.
Part-time workers would be rostered to work on Saturdays and Sundays whereas in Edenderry, most would have worked Monday to Friday. "There is going to be significant problems for people, particularly if they have family commitments at the weekends," Mr Nolan said.
Word of the plan had begun to filter through to workers and while there was relief that jobs would be saved, some were "not overly pleased" with the new terms. Those who would be rostered to work at weekends would be paid at overtime rates. There would also be a €25 a day travel allowance for the 90- minute each-way journey.
A company spokeswoman would not confirm these details but said it was committed to do its utmost to rebuild.
Mr Nolan also said the company believed part-time workers would be entitled to supplementary welfare allowance and these workers would this morning be advised to "sign on".
A spokeswoman for the Department of Social and Family Affairs confirmed anyone who had not been in the State for two years would not satisfy the habitual residency condition and would not be entitled to welfare payments.
Among those who said he had been told his working week would be reduced to two days was Jazek Walaszek from Poland, who has been working at the plant for three years. He said it was a problem to have to travel to Roscrea. "I have no car, no way to get there."
Michelle Kenny, manager of McGreal's Furniture and Fashions on the main street, said: "Everyone is devastated. A good few are working in the place and I suppose no one really knows what's going to happen. It's a disaster, though, if all those jobs are gone."
Fianna Fáil member of Edenderry Town Council, John Quinlan, said the plant was the town's only industry. If it closed, he said, many more people would be forced to seek work in Dublin.
"Like me they'll be leaving the town at 6am to get to work. If it closes you may as well put a gate at each end of the town and lock them from 6am until 7pm every day. It will be a ghost town."
