EXPLORATORY talks to end the nine week old strike at Wellman Inc and save 500 jobs at its plant in Mullagh, Co Meath, are to begin tomorrow. They will involve the president of SIPTU, Mr Edmund Browne, and the managing director of Wellman's Irish operation, Mr Dick Budden.
However, the company has warned in a statement that it would be "premature to conclude that this meeting will lead to a speedy resolution of the differences between the company and the union". The talks were sought by Mr Browne.
They will specifically exclude the issues involved in the strike and concentrate on the wider industrial relations issues at the plant.
The hope is that, in doing so, a climate more conducive to ending the dispute may be created. The union is also anxious to establish what the company's long term plans are in Ireland.
Last week, the chief of operations for Wellman Inc, Mr Clifford Christensen, said a protracted strike at the Irish plant would lead to a review of the company's investment policy.
The company has invested £5 million in new plant at Mullagh, and decided to push through new production plans unilaterally after two years of talks failed to produce agreement from SIPTU members.
About 230 of the 490 employees at the plant are SIPTU members. They earned an average of £27,400 last year (including £5,000 from a profit sharing scheme).
The union put forward counter proposals last month but these were rejected. The personnel director, Mr Joe Fagan, described Tuesday's talks as "exploratory. They are to discuss the present and future relations between Wellman and SIPTU, and to find out if there is a future relationship as such". Meanwhile, the company has begun briefing staff on developments in the dispute and its reasons for agreeing to meet Mr Browne.