Guinness dispute, Yesterday's LRC talks successful
A strike at Guinness Ireland over the planned closure of a packaging plant in Dundalk has been suspended, after representatives of management and unions agreed to hold further talks. Last night's agreement came only 15 hours after the strike began. The development means the closure of the Dundalk plant has been deferred.
Discussions on the future of the Dundalk plant are to begin early next week, and a date for the conclusion of the negotiations will be determined by the Labour Relations Commission and accepted by both sides. The Commission's Chief Executive, Kieran Mulvey, said that there would also be negotiation on Guinness's broader business development plans. Five of the six Guinness unions are to ballot immediately on the proposals. On Morning Ireland, the Chairman of the Joint Union Forum at Guinness, Brendan Hodgers, insisted that despite last night's agreement the Dundalk plant would have to remain open.
