WELLMAN Inc may close its synthetic fibre plant at Mullagh, Co Meath, with the loss of nearly 500 jobs, because of a protracted strike by general operatives.
The chief operating officer of Wellman, Mr Clifford J. Christenson, said the six week strike is exacerbating the current difficult market and earnings situation at the Irish fibre operation. We cannot afford to meet the strikers' excessive and unreasonable demands and as a result we are reconsidering our future in Ireland."
A final decision on the future of the Irish plant, which is a major employer in north Meath and Cavan, is expected within the next few weeks.
The president of SIPTU, Mr Edmund Browne, has called on the company to resume discussions and said last night, "It is in everybody's interest to get around the table." He spent most of yesterday afternoon discussing the dispute with Wellman shop stewards and seeking ways of breaking the deadlock.
The union and its members want to achieve a speedy conclusion" to the strike, he said afterwards, in order to avoid further hardship to workers, their families and the local community.
He said members had a legitimate grievance because of the company's unilateral introduction of large scale changes. The company says it has spent two years trying to negotiate change and accepted a Labour Court recommendation aimed at settling the dispute.
The union is looking for a 12 per cent pay rise for members with increased pension and sick pay provision to co operate with the changes.
The Labour Court has proposed increases worth 5 per cent over two years, which the company has begun to implement.
The plant is a wholly owned subsidiary of a New Jersey based company.