The Labour Court has intervened in the Woco dispute, writes Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent. The car component company's plant at Carrick-on-Shannon faces closure, with the loss of 117 jobs.
Management will meet SIPTU representatives on Saturday to see if the workforce is prepared to accept changes in work practices, while awaiting the Labour Court hearing. This is not due to take place until October 30th. The company sought Labour Court intervention.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the company rejected SIPTU allegations that the workforce was being used as a scapegoat to justify closure, when the real reason was the adverse exchange rate between the pound and the deutschmark. He said the company had been trying to introduce new work practices since early 1996. It remained committed to the plant, but it had to become profitable and the choice now lay with the workforce.