THE TRADE union Siptu said that it will respond today in the High Court to an injunction granted last week to a company operating port facilitates at Dublin Port restraining picketers from obstructing vehicles entering or leaving its cargo terminal.
Siptu placed pickets at the premises of Marine Terminals Ltd (MTL) on Friday. It said the dispute was over attempts by the company to impose compulsory redundancies as well as reductions in pay and conditions for members.
The interim ex-parte injunction, which restrains picketers from blocking the access to or exit from the cargo terminal, and from obstructing or interfering with the operation by the company of its cargo terminal, remains in force until today.
Siptu also accused the company, which is owned by Peel Ports, of “grossly exaggerating” the amounts they were offering in redundancy payments to workers.
Marine Terminals Ltd said on Friday it had offered salaries of up to €60,000, with redundancy payments of €75,000 – four times the statutory amount – to staff but that the union had refused these offers and had sought “completely unrealistic redundancy payments of €150,000”.
“The union’s stance has left us with no option for reducing our costs than to introduce short-term working,” it said.
Siptu sector organiser Oliver McDonagh said yesterday: “Media reports have been citing the company as offering €75,000 in redundancy payments, but not one worker so far being made redundant has been offered that much.
“Of the 13 workers being made compulsorily redundant under the Peel Ports formula, so far two workers are being offered €70,000 . . . The average payment is €37,000.”