TRADE UNIONS at SR Technics, scheduled to close with the loss of about 1,100 jobs, are to seek a meeting with the board of the aviation company over the “desultory” redundancy package on offer.

Union sources last night said that they could not rule out further protests by workers if the row over redundancy payments and pensions was not addressed.

The chairman of the union forum at the company, Willie Quigley of Unite, said in a statement that the company proposal would give workers of many years standing less than one week per year of service over the statutory minimum redundancy payment, He said that this was a poor return and that the unions had relayed this position to management at a meeting yesterday.

It also emerged that the company had told unions that it would not be in a position to plug any shortfall in their pension funds.

According to a letter, the company would also be unable to fund any pension costs arising from an increase in staff taking early retirement.

In the letter, dated March 6th, SR Technics told unions that there had been 30 expressions of interest in the company, but none of these would involve taking on existing staff.

It suggested that if workers were to propose alternatives to redundancy, such as pay cuts, it would pass them on to potential buyers.

In a statement last night Unite said that it believed that there would be a significant funds available to the firm from the sale of hangers and equipment at the plant at Dublin airport.

“Workers are considering options as to how they might exert additional pressure . . . to ensure they are fairly treated,” it said.

Siptu branch organiser Pat Ward said that the company’s redundancy offer was “nowhere near acceptable”.

“If they continue to adopt their present stance they will find it will cost them a hell of a lot more in the long run than sitting down and making a serious proposal,” he said.