WORKERS at the Semperit tyre plant are expected to vote overwhelmingly for strike action today if the company refuses to honour the redundancy terms recommended by the Labour Court.
Almost all of the 650 employees are due to be laid off by December 6th. They had hoped to hear yesterday if the company had decided to accept the Labour Court recommendation.
But management deferred a planned meeting with unions at the plant until later today. The reason given was that discussions about the Irish plant had lasted much longer than anticipated at the board meeting of Semperit's parent company, Continental AG, in Hanover yesterday.
The managing director of Semperit, Mr Jack Golden, returned to Ireland late yesterday. The company was withholding any comment ahead of today's meeting with the unions at 2 p.m.
By then the result of the strike ballot should be known.
In the ballot the workers are being asked to consider industrial action, up to and including strike action, if the company refuses to pay the Labour Court award.
Under the Labour Court recommendation the workers should receive five weeks' pay for each year of service. This should be calculated to include the latest 3.5 per cent due under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work and statutory payments in lieu of notice.
So far the company has not been willing to pay more than four weeks for each year of service. This has been the customary rate of redundancy payment at Semperit in the past.
The secretary of the works council, Mr John Flannery of SIPTU, said yesterday he expected "an overwhelming endorsement" of the stance taken by the unions on the Labour Court award.
Workers agreed to ballot for industrial action at a mass meeting on Monday, but the secret ballot would underline the strength of their commitment.
The unions are also concerned at the company's attitude towards prospective buyers. With the withdrawal of the Korean company Kumho from acquisition talks, the only remaining possibilities are the Cooper Tyre Company of Ohio or an employees buy out.