Workers at Glanbia Meats in Edenderry, Co Offaly, have voted to accept alternative employment proposals from the company this evening following a fire that destroyed the meat processing plant on Sunday.
All 280 staff at Glanbia Meats have been offered alternative employment, the company said.
Workers at the plant tonight voted to accept the company's proposal after a lengthy meeting.
Sean Nolan, Siptu
Uncertainty had surrounded the future of workers at the pig processing plant in Edenderry, Co Offaly, after it was destroyed by a blaze on Sunday morning.
Although management had been forced to issue a protective notice to workers, many of whom are non-Irish nationals renting homes in the area, a contingency plan was announced today to keep almost 120 people in full-time employment.
Employees have been advised of proposals for alternative employment which involves full-time work for almost 120 employees, said chief executive Jim Hanley.
"From tomorrow, 60 employees will be deployed to the Glanbia-operated Parkmore site in Roscrea, County Tipperary, and the 60 administration and sales staff will continue to be employed at our Edenderry offices, which adjoin the factory but were unaffected by the fire," he said.
"All other employees are being offered part-time work, commencing this weekend, at the Glanbia Meats Carrick site in Roscrea."
It is understood slaughtering at Glanbia's Roscrea plant will increase by 400 extra pigs on weekdays, and to 7,200 at weekends.
Mr Hanley said the company's priority was to secure the business for the long term.
He said while the company had met its immediate objectives, which were to return employees to work as soon as possible and to honour commitments to farmer suppliers and customers, the focus continued to be on maintaining business in the long term.
"It is still too early to speak about the future of the Edenderry facility but it is our intention to maintain our overall position in the Irish market," he added.
Mr Hanley said although investigations are still ongoing in to the cause of the fire, all indications suggest it was accidental in origin.
Siptu - which represents more than 240 members of the Glanbia workforce - has been negotiating the contingency plan with staff and management.
The union's local representative Sean Nolan previously said workers want a commitment that the plant in Offaly will be rebuilt.
Concerns were also raised about skilled workers having to carry out weekend production work and how up to 40 foreign nationals employed at the plant would not qualify for social welfare payments as they have not been working in the country for long enough.
Mr Nolan said following the vote this evening that staff have now put their faith in Glanbia . "They are giving them co-operation," he added. "But they are effectively looking for a vote of confidence back from management that they will rebuild the plant and secure the 280 jobs."
Sunday's fire was the company's second blaze in the last five years.
PA