Unions at Guinness Ireland are divided on how to deal with plans by the company to close its Dundalk packaging plant with a loss of 140 jobs. The plant began winding down the 200-strong workforce in the late 1990s. Guinness wants to complete the process by April 27th.

Most unions begin balloting members for industrial action next week. If ballots are in favour, a strike could begin on April 12th.

The company said seven month talks failed to produce a viable plan for the Dundalk plant. The unions had been given until March 6th to give justifiable reasons for extending the talks and referring the case to the Labour Court.