JOBS CRISIS:A CO Offaly-based meat producer, Rosderra Meats, has put 850 workers on protective notice after the recall of all Irish pork products at the weekend.
They were among 1,400 confirmed layoffs in the industry by last night as a result of the pork crisis, according to the trade union Siptu, which represents large numbers of workers across the sector.
The union said that as well as the layoffs at Rosderra, 140 workers had been laid off by McCarrens in Cavan, 50 by Feldhues in Clones and 79 by Callan Bacon in Co Kilkenny.
Siptu said that at Queally Pigs in Waterford, 30 workers were given a day's holiday yesterday with no date for a return to work, while the remaining 240 workers were to be laid off this morning.
Rosderra Meats said there would be immediate layoffs at its plants in Edenderry and Clara, Co Offaly, Roscrea in Co Tipperary, Jamestown in Co Leitrim and Stradone in Co Cavan.
In a statement last night the company said it was "devastated" to have to close the plants involved, but it had "no option in the present circumstances".
It also said it would not recommence slaughtering pigs until the Government offered a "substantial" aid package to the industry to compensate for the recall. Siptu, which represents large numbers of workers in the meat industry, said 6,000 jobs were at risk because of the pork crisis.
Rosderra, which exports 60 per cent of its meat, said it could take years to restore international markets lost as a result of the recall.
Last night three large containers with 62 tonnes of pork were parked outside the company's headquarters in Edenderry, the biggest processing plant in the country.
The three lorries were bound for Germany but turned back at Liverpool.
In total six lorries bound for Germany, the UK and Italy were recalled.
At 7am yesterday 315 workers were told by management at the factory that they were being laid off, but when they went to sign on at their local social welfare office they were told they would have to wait six to eight weeks for money, workers said.
The temporary closure of Rosderra Meats has made a bad year worse for Edenderry.
Already two of the town's major employers, Rationel, a timber products producer, and Sanirish, a shower component manufacturer, have closed with the loss of almost 100 jobs.
"This is a devastating blow to this town and to every worker in it. There's no other work around," said Tom Phelan (36), who works on the kill line at the Rosderra plant.
"Where are we going to get money at this time of year? We won't get it from the banks. A lot of families are going to lose their houses and their cars if this continues."
General worker Jim Brereton (38) said the workers got paid every Friday and the chances of going back to work this week were bleak.
"There is no room for slaughter in the factory at the moment. The place is full of stock," he said.
Rosderra Meats was established by the management team which acquired the Glanbia Meats division in February 2008.
Workers say the management buyout has meant there is no cash reserve to pay them while they are on protective notice.
The Edenderry plant was damaged by fire 18 months ago and fully reopened only last month.
Mr Brereton said Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who is the local TD, had pushed for the plant's reopening and would be held accountable if the workers were to lose their jobs.
"Our message to Cowen is in the long run that it might be cheaper to bail out the processors than keep 6,000 people on the dole long term, which could spin-off and affect 10,000 with ancillary businesses. Long-term unemployment is a lot of millions," he said.
Local Siptu official Frank Jones said there had been no indication when the plant could reopen.
"If this is going to go on for any length of time, we need Cowen to help us out . . . with the social welfare and get some assistance packages for us.
