Redundancy negotiations for over 100 SIPTU members affected by the planned closure of the Becton Dickinson (BD) plant in Drogheda, county Louth, have entered into a mediation process overseen by former Labour Court Chair Kevin Duffy.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Andrea Cleere, said: “The process began in mid-October following industrial action by members, which included a work-to-rule and a series of one-hour lunchtime pickets. The Union’s industrial action resulted from the company’s failure to engage sufficiently on redundancy terms and possible measures to save jobs. The lunchtime pickets have been suspended pending the outcome of the mediation process.
“Union members also began a work-to-rule on 25th September, which involves a ban on overtime and on ‘training the trainer’ work, with all training to be done by qualified individuals. Elements of this action are also being suspended, pending the mediation process.
No deadline has been put on the mediation but both sides have committed to reaching a resolution through the process. In July, the company announced that operations at the Drogheda plant are to be wound down over the next two and a half years.
SIPTU representatives have also attended conciliation under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission on a long-standing pay parity issue. In this situation, a proposal has been agreed on which members will ballot.