Workers at Comerama textile mills, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, face a bleak Christmas following the decision of the company to close its operations in the south-east in favour of another plant in the north-west. Two hundred workers at a plant in Bunbeg, Co Donegal, will keep their jobs for the moment, while 160 will be lost in Kilkenny.
Mr Michael Brooke, managing director of both plants, said the future of the Bunbeg operation still remained in question pending the outcome of further negotiations.
SIPTU official Mr Phil Funchion said negotiations with the company on a redundancy package for workers would begin on Monday.
Local Fine Gael TD Mr Phil Hogan claimed the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, had known for some time about the worsening situation at Comerama but had done nothing to avert the closure. He said that the Government had completely ignored north Kilkenny and Castlecomer in favour of Waterford city.
Mr Brooke said the closure was forced on the company by retailers who had turned increasingly to cheaper products made with polyester/viscose and cotton rather than the wool/polyester yarns made in Kilkenny.
Redundancy offer from Braun rejected
Workers at the Braun Ireland electrical appliances plant in Carlow town have rejected a redundancy package for 140 of their colleagues. SIPTU representatives were locked in talks with management yesterday evening with the rejection placing a question mark over a further 150 jobs.
Braun announced the loss of 225 jobs in Carlow in August, following a streamlining of their worldwide operations. The company is the largest employer in the town, with the August job losses leaving 580 staff on the payroll.
The 225 jobs shed at that time included those of 90 seasonal workers.
Ms Jackie McNabb, chief executive of Carlow Chamber of Commerce, yesterday expressed the fear that the entire plant could now be in jeopardy. "Initially we were assured that the 225 job losses would ensure the survival of the remaining jobs. We are not just talking about the loss of an extra 150 jobs but the entire plant could close."