More than 300 workers protested over rates of pay at a number of Frank Harrington Ltd quarry facilities yesterday. The quarries are located in Kilkelly and Castlebar, in Co Mayo, Claregalway in Co Galway, and Ballisodare in Co Sligo.
The workers included lorry and digger drivers, machine operators, welders, tarmac laymen, steel fabricators and some administrative staff. They say they will remain outside the plants until they get a better rate of pay from the company.
The majority of striking workers are based at Frank Harrington headquarters in Kilkelly and operations there had come to a standstill yesterday.
The workers involved are not unionised and were reluctant to go on record over their grievances. One young worker outside the Kilkelly plant, who did not want his name used, said that the matter in dispute is rates of pay.
"We want a better rate of pay for the jobs we do. We have tried to talk to management but to no avail. We have been offered a slight pay increase, but it's not enough and we cannot accept it.
"We would all much rather be at work today rather than standing out here in the cold, but we'll stay out here until we are given a more realistic offer."
He declined to say what percentage of pay rise the workers are seeking, but said: "We want a comparable rate with Mayo County Council employees who do the same kind of work as ourselves. We're out in the wind and rain and we do the same kind of work as council employees, but we do it for less."
No member of management at the company was available for comment yesterday.