MANAGEMENT at Pallas Foods have been asked to urgently engage with SIPTU trade union officials to secure the long-term future of local jobs in Newcastle West.
SINN Fein councillor Seamus Browne, who will contest the General Election in the Limerick County constituency, has expressed fresh concerns over recent developments at the wholesale food distribution plant.
“This time last year, the management of Pallas Foods reassured the local workforce that there would be no job losses as a result of the company’s new facility near Dublin Airport. Just a few weeks later came the announcement that there would be 65 redundancies,” he told the Limerick Post.
“I am now hearing real concerns from local employees as to how the transition process between the two plants is proceeding. I understand that before Christmas, employees were asked to transfer temporarily to Dublin in order to help the business.”
According to Cllr Browne, the company have also informed workers in Newcastle West of plans to introduce a three-day week, and made reference to an imposed reduction in redundancy terms for future job losses. He warned that both of these measures, would have major implications for employees, particularly if there are future job losses.
“Many of the local workforce now fear that the Dublin plant has become the overriding priority for the company, and that more job losses are on the way. I have also received representations from the telesales team, 80 strong at the present time, about the future of their jobs.”
Last year Limerick City and County Council passed a motion calling on Pallas Foods to recognise the workers’ rights to be represented by the union of their choice. The Labour Court has also recommended engagement with SIPTU.
SIPTU lead organiser Pat Condon this week described the manner in which Pallas Foods have treated employees as “deplorable”.
“The company have deliberately misled their workers. Firstly, when they guaranteed them their employment was safe only to announce 65 redundancies in February of 2015 and again this year they assured workers their jobs were safe prior to Christmas only to announce short time working in the New Year,” Mr Condon claimed.
“It is quite obvious that this company is drip-feeding its workers. It does not care about their welfare and is only set on their transfer to the Dublin site. They even had the cheek to offer workers in Newcastle West €2,000 and the first week in a hotel in Dublin prior to Christmas to assist them in the Dublin operation.
“They are clearly now trying to starve employees in Newcastle West into resigning due to short time working therefore avoiding their obligation to the redundancy entitlements of employees.”
There was no comment from Pallas Foods at the time of going to press.
