Irish glass,Jobs will be saved
Three hundred and twenty-five jobs are to be saved at the Irish Glass Bottle Company in Dublin, following a decision by the board of Ardagh plc to keep the plant open. Last February, Ardagh plc announced it was closing the Irish glass bottle plant in Ringsend because it was no longer competitive. Three hundred and seventy-five jobs were to go.
Since then, local management and unions have been trying to formulate proposals to save for the company. Last night, both sides agreed on a survival strategy brokered by the Labour Relations Commission. It involves radical changes in work practices and 50 voluntary redundancies.
This morning, after considering the survival strategy, the Ardagh board announced it was reversing the closure decision which had devastated staff last February.
However, the management stressed that the decision depended on union members accepting the survival plan when they are balloted on it. Union members will be balloted between now and next Thursday.
