Workers in the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) at Rye Valley Foods in Co Monaghan are to go on strike on Monday after talks between management and the union failed to resolve differences.
The dispute centres around a decision by the company, based at Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, to close the plant next week for the installation on new equipment. Employees have been told they can take a week’s holiday or face being laid off.
The 30 TEEU members - who are all maintenance staff at the company - rejected an offer by the company to train 12 of them during the week.
TEEU regional secretary Arthur Hall, said: "The company made a derisory offer to bring in less than half our members for one day’s training next week, which comes nowhere near meeting the workers’ demand to be allowed to work normally. We held a ballot last night and the terms were emphatically rejected."
Mr Hall challenged management claims that the closure was needed for outside contractors to install specialist equipment.
"We believe the real reason for the week’s closure is that management overestimated demand for its product and wants to allow warehouse stocks to run down at the workers’ expense," Mr Hall said.
"Even if the decision to close were justified it is normal good industrial relations practice to meet union representatives and agree a date well in advance so that, if people have to take a week’s holiday or be laid off they can make their own domestic arrangements to deal with the problem," he added.
The strike may escalate during next week as contract workers brought in to install equipment, who are also TEEU members, have been instructed by the union not to cross the picket line.
Rye Valley Foods, which employs 700 people and is part of the Kerry Group, makes pre-packed meals for major supermarket chains.