Maintenance technicians at a Kerry Group-owned plant in Co Monaghan have threatened to strike from next week in a row over temporary lay-offs.
Staff at Rye Valley Foods in Carrickmacross, which employs 700 and makes prepacked meals for major supermarket chains, have been told the plant is to close next week.
As Monday is a bank holiday, they will be required to take either four days' holiday or four days' unpaid leave.
A spokesman for the Kerry Group said the move was necessary to "realign stock levels" and allow for the installation of new equipment. There was no threat to jobs at the plant.
He said Siptu, which represents more than 80 per cent of workers at the plant, and the TEEU had been consulted about the temporary closure.
However, TEEU official Arthur Hall said, while shop stewards had been told about the move, there had been no negotiations or consultation with the union.
"Maintenance is carried out regularly by our own members and it makes no sense to bring in outside contractors," he said.
"What we are witnessing here is a company which is part of one of the most profitable Irish multinationals, asking its workforce to take the hit for decisions by management which led to overproduction."
The Kerry Group spokesman said the union was incorrect to describe as "maintenance" the work that was to be done during the closure. What was planned was the installation of equipment, which could only be carried out by specialist contractors.
Mr Hall said that, following a unanimous vote in favour of industrial action, the TEEU had served strike notice on Rye Valley Foods, to take effect from Monday. There were efforts yesterday to arrange a meeting between the sides, possibly tomorrow. Siptu would not be taking industrial action, said branch secretary Jim King.
