The mood remained tense among workers at Tara Mines last night. Reactions to the Labour Court recommendations broadly reflected those of the unions - a cautious welcome. However, for most, the only reaction which mattered was that of management.
"It's one thing the unions saying they are happy but there is no guarantee Charlie Brown [the head of the company] will go along with it," said one electrician. "I am not optimistic but I hope it works. It seems like a good idea, a good compromise."
Most workers were open to be ing more flexible "with the understandable exception of the miners. It's a different situation for them. They are working underground in bad conditions without decent air. There is a danger element to their job which you can't ignore. Longer shifts and higher workloads increase that danger."
While some workers feared the closure of the mine was a real possibility, most believed it was mere hype. "This place will never close and they [management] know it," said another technician. "The propaganda they are putting out is just a smokescreen. It's all about profits, cutting costs, shedding jobs. I've seen so many workers thrown on the scrap heap down the years, it would make you cry."
Another worker, an electrician who has been with the company for 21 years, also said management "know it's not the end, but if it is the end, so what? There is a lot of work out there for craftsmen, probably with better conditions than we're getting. When the first changes came in we accepted them. The lads became more efficient, but they've just gone too far now.
"Lads are being asked to work more hours next week for the same amount they got this week, and one craftsman is being asked to do the work of two."
Tara creates an annual wage bill of over £1 million and an estimated 75 per cent of the 630-strong work force lives within five miles of Navan. "It would be a killer blow to the town," said one woman who had been working with a cleaning contractor at the plant for the past 15 years. "You only have to stand by the gate and see all the trucks and cars going in to appreciate how many people depend on the mine: cement, oil, engineering companies. It's a sorry situation."
Although she was not optimistic, she said the Labour Court recommendation provided some hope. "For everyone's sake, I hope both sides can agree to something. The alternative isn't worth thinking about."
