DIFFICULT TRADING conditions across Europe have led one of Galway’s leading employers, Thermo King Ingersoll Rand, to seek 30 job cuts from its plant in the city by the end of next month.
Management and union representatives at the plant, which manufactures heavy temperature control systems for the export market, met to discuss plans for up to 18 permanent and 12 temporary staff to be laid off over the past two days. A final agreement is set to be ironed out at a meeting between management and representatives of the Unite trade union next Wednesday, at which workers’ representatives are still hopeful of safeguarding as many jobs as possible among the almost 500- strong workforce.
Industrial relations at the plant have been “extremely good” since Thermo King set up the Galway plant in 1976 and its streamlined operation has been hailed as one of the success stories of Irish manufacturing for over three decades.
“It is another sign of the never-ending recession across Europe,” said Unite spokesman Brian Gormley yesterday.
“Thermo King’s main markets are in Europe, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, and unfortunately the company is suffering from what’s going on across Europe.”