The ISPAT group of unions will meet management at the Indian-owned steel plant in Cork Harbour this morning in a last attempt to prevent its closure.
ISPAT announced the abrupt closure of the plant at the weekend and told the 400 workers there that a liquidator was about to be appointed.
On Saturday, hundreds of SIPTU workers gathered at Connolly Hall in Cork. Most talked of redundancy payments and finding alternative employment, though the meeting, according to Mr Joe O'Flynn, SIPTU regional branch secretary, authorised union leaders to meet management in a final attempt to defer or reverse the closure.
ISPAT acquired the plant from Irish Steel in 1995. Mr O'Flynn said most workers felt that ISPAT was leaving Cork because its five-year purchase agreement was up. He said today's meeting would concentrate on why ISPAT had overlooked a plan produced by the unions for £2.9 million in savings which could have been achieved over the next 21 months.
Mr John McDonnell, SIPTU general secretary, said yesterday the union would consult the Departments of Finance as well as Enterprise and Employment today to determine whether EU monies could save the plant without breaking EU laws.