TALKS to resolve the dispute over the redundancy package for 800 workers at Packard Electric are to resume in the Labour Relations Commission today.
The Minister for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, spent much of yesterday in separate talks with management and union representatives, trying to ensure agreement would be reached at the LRC. He appears to have persuaded the company to significantly improve its offer but there still appeared to be a considerable gap between the two sides.
One problem is that, because company executives have to consult Delphi Packard headquarters in Pittsburgh, it is unlikely that the final management offer will emerge before today's LRC session opens under the commission's director of conciliation services, Mr Ray McGee.
The difference between the company offer and the Labour Court recommendation is about £2 million. The workers voted to accept the Labour Court recommendation on the advice of their unions, SIPTU and the ATGWU.
Mr Rabbitte said yesterday that company representatives had indicated that they had authority to improve the offer to the workforce, but there was little point in doing so unless the unions were also prepared to negotiate on the Labour Court terms. He told them in his judgment "a settlement is unlikely unless the core integrity of the Labour Court recommendation is protected". He appealed to them to secure approval to meet the core elements of the Labour Court recommendation before today's LRC talks.
When he met the union representatives later, he appealed to them to demonstrate creativity and flexibility at the discussions. Otherwise, a deterioration of the industrial relations situation can only serve to undermine wider discussions that are under way to find replacement jobs".