Management at Element Six have warned workers that if they do not enter third party talks and proceed with planned industrial action then 370 jobs will be lost.
The company is proposing a plan aimed at saving 163 of those jobs, but unions say it needs to significantly improve redundancy terms for those being let go.
In a strongly worded letter circulated to workers today, Element Six Chief Executive Cyrus Jilla said the message being currently sent by some of the workforce was that the 163 long-term jobs and the survival plan were not wanted.
Mr Jilla said this seemed extraordinary and asked workers to change their attitude towards the plan and enter third party negotiations quickly.
If they did not, he said the company would have to return to its original plan and wind down operations with the loss of 370 jobs.
He added that the company would also have to review its funding of pensions.
Both the TEEU and SIPTU welcomed the company's offer to enter third party talks but said redundancy terms must be dealt with before anything else.
Both unions also criticised what they called the company's threat in relation to pensions and said it contradicted promises made by local management.
