A SIGNIFICANTLY better redundancy package must be obtained for the 370 workers who lost their jobs last week when the Element Six manufacturing plant at Shannon announced its severe cutback in employment.
Two politicians, Deputy Kieran O’Donnell FG, and David Vallely of the Socialist Party, contend that the redundancy payment being offered to the workers is a mere fraction
of what employees at the plant were offered in recent years.
“Employees who have given long and loyal service to the company are now being penalised, which is indefensible by a company that is making substantial profits and has consistently made money in Shannon over the course of four decades,” says deputy O’Donnell.
The Element Six workers must now fight, not just for improved redundancy, but also to save jobs, according to Mr Vallely.
“Workers in Waterford Crystal and the Visteon factory in Belfast, have shown that through organisation and workplace occupations, concessions and victories can be won – this fight is now needed to draw a line under the race to the bottom, that is being imposed by the bosses in an attempt to slash and burn all wages, making the crisis worse,” says Mr Vallely, who recommends that the company should be forced to open its books and explain where the profits it made over the past 40 years have gone, “especially considering the derisory redundancy package that has been offered.
“The profits the company made during the boom years must now be reinvested in the recession to safeguard jobs,” he said.
Calling on the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to become directly involved in retaining as much employment as possible in the Element Six plant, deputy O’Donnell said that the redundancy package being offered by Element Six is unacceptable.
“The workers must ask where have the millions in profits of the past 40 years disappeared to – the company must explain where they have gone”.
Meanwhile, Limerick Sinn Fein East Ward’s Tom Collopy, is calling on the government to target job creation and job retention in Limerick, which has become a leading blackspot for unemployment.
