MORE THAN 170 workers at Element Six yesterday staged a lunchtime protest in response to a letter from the company’s chief executive warning that the company is edging closer to closure.
In a letter circulated to employees of the Co Clare diamond manufacturer on Wednesday, Element Six’s London-based chief executive Cyrus Jilla warned that manufacturing will cease at the end of the month if there is no agreement on the company’s survival plan.
Management and unions are to meet at the Labour Court next Thursday to discuss the terms of the redundancy deal on offer from the company for the 207 workers facing redundancy. The company has put in place a survival plan that will save 163 jobs at the Shannon plant – initially, the company announced in July that 370 jobs would be lost and the company would cease manufacturing.
In his letter, Mr Jilla calls on unions to engage on other aspects of the survival plan prior to the court hearing. “I cannot spell out enough that closure is a reality and time is running out. It is up to you.
“Do you want the 163 jobs on offer, or do you want closure and a much lower package for everyone? Let’s engage quickly on the package now, so we are prepared as the Labour Court state their recommendations regarding the package.”
He warns: “If there has been no discussions of the terms of the plan beforehand, we may have to revert to 50 per cent short-time across the operations post the hearing, given our financial position.”
At the protest, Siptu shop steward Murdoch Gleeson said: “We all understand the gravity of the situation. We want to push forward with talks as well to allow us get this mess sorted . . .”
