Workers at Waterford Crystal have rejected redundancy proposals put forward by management, following a meeting yesterday.
Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) have said that no part of the company's plans will be implemented without agreement from the Union and the workforce.
The company has offered six weeks pay per year of service inclusive of statutory redundancy pay but the ATGWU have rejected this outright, demanding 6 weeks pay per year of service in addition to statutory redundancy payment. They are also demanding payment in lieu of notice for workers at the company.
All reckonable years of service must also be included for calculating redundancy payments. The ATGWU are also not accepting the imposition of compulsory redundancies.
Walter Cullen, Regional Organiser with the ATGWU, said that there was still a massive amount of anger and bitterness amongst the workforce. 'This is a workforce which has for the most part dedicated the past part of their working lives to this company and has remained flexible and open to discussion whenever the company needed to significantly invest in new equipment. They feel betrayed by the treatment they have received'.
An independent examination commissioned by the Union to look at the company's financial case highlighted the fact that the board is top heavy with Directors and management costs with a total of 17 directors on the board. The workforce are now asking what exactly the cost of these senior personnel amounts to.
'With Waterford Crystal chairman Redmond O'Donohue paid over €1m per year and Chief Executive John Foley last year awarded a €180,000 pay rise the workers are in no mood to be lectured about proposals for cut backs in jobs and wages. John Foley now earns €672,000. While this company are happy to talk about cutting costs they are not prepared to lead by example'.
In other news Waterford Wedgwood today gave notice to shareholders of its extraordinary general meeting to take place on June 20th.
The company said the meeting would discuss proposed resolutions in relation to its forthcoming rights issue that is being organised to raise funds for restructuring the company.
The EGM is taking place at The Berkeley Court Hotel, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland at 10.00 a.m. on 20 June.
