As the Taoiseach prepares to chair a special review of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, called by the trade unions over the problem of inflation, several more unions have threatened strike action over pay and working conditions.
Guinness workers throughout the Republic are to be balloted on all-out industrial action at the brewery. Two weeks ago, Guinness said it wants to close its packaging plant in Dundalk with the loss of nearly 300 jobs, but this afternoon shop stewards warned management that if any employee is issued with a compulsory notice of redundancy, there will be immediate strike action on a nationwide basis. The Guinness Ireland group owns and operates a beer packing plant, which is housed in the former MacArdle Brewery in Dundalk.
After a re-evaluation of the cost of running the plant, the company announced its decision to close two weeks ago. 200 workers were to lose their jobs immediately, and a further 90 employees to be laid off because of a reduction of brewing capacity at the Harp lager plant in the town. Unions representing the entire workforce of Guinness in the Republic met in Dundalk this morning, and announced later that a ballot will now take place on the issue of all-out strike action to deal with the closure that has angered staff.
Meanwhile, ESB Officers' Association members have voted by more than 84% for industrial action, while NRBU workers in Dublin Bus' Ringsend garage have served strike notice. The ESB Officers' Association, which has 2,100 members, is the second largest union in the electricity company. The dispute relates to a pay claim and other outstanding issues. The general secretary, Willie Cremins, said the result showed clear dissatisfaction with the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. Strike notice has also been served on Dublin Bus by NBRU members working in the Ringsend garage. There will be pickets on the depot if agreement is not reached on rostering for the 65 and 77 bus routes before Tuesday.
