Further work stoppages at Carroll Cuisine planned

SIPTU members employed at Carroll Cuisine in Tullamore, will undertake two additional 12-hour work stoppages on Friday and Saturday next following what their union described as "the failure of management to engage in discussions on pay, working conditions and union recognition at the meat processing plant".

The announcement comes after SIPTU members undertook initial 12-hour stoppages yesterday (Sunday) and today (Monday), with pickets placed at the facility in Tullamore.

SIPTU Manufacturing Divisional Organiser, Neil McGowan, said: “Workers in Carroll Cuisine voted last month in favour of industrial and strike action but agreed to suspend planned stoppages to allow for negotiations. At our meeting on Friday, 31st October, SIPTU representatives presented a constructive proposal aimed at ensuring the company’s financial stability while also addressing pay improvements and securing union recognition for collective bargaining,” McGowan said.

“Management requested time to consider this proposal before stating it was not prepared to engage further on the outstanding matters with the workers’ chosen SIPTU representatives.

"Our members will not be denied their basic right to fair pay and to be represented by their Union. This left them with no option but to escalate the industrial action at the plant.”

He added: “The workers have been heartened with the support from the local community for their action. It is in the interest of all workers in Ireland that union recognition is respected and people earn a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”

A spokesperson for Sofina Foods, owners of the Tullamore site where the Carrolls’s brand is produced, said: “At Sofina Foods, our people are our number one priority. We acknowledge the tensions at our Tullamore site and recognise that we have fallen short of our own high standards in supporting our colleagues - particularly in listening to and acting on their concerns promptly. For this, we apologise.

“We would like to thank the SIPTU trade union for the open dialogue we have maintained throughout what has been a difficult period for our people.

“We remain fully committed to addressing the concerns raised, including those related to pay and working conditions. Last week, we held a significant number of direct meetings with our approximately 200 colleagues at the site, during which we shared a clear process and timeline for proposing and agreeing improvements. Next week, we will meet with our Employee Relations Group to discuss these proposals in detail.

Referring to the industrial action on Sunday and today, the company said while this was not the outcome it had hoped for and that it would affect its ability to serve customers at a critical trading time "we respect the right of individuals to express their views".

“Our focus remains on maintaining a safe, supportive workplace and ensuring continuity of supply for our customers and consumers. To help achieve this, we have implemented robust contingency plans to minimise disruption, including additional shifts and prioritisation of key product lines to maximise production.”

SIPTU's Neil McGowan said although the company had publicly acknowledged shortcomings in how it has engaged with staff, it had failed to address the core issues at the heart of the dispute.

“This conflict fundamentally stems from the company’s refusal to respect workers’ right to collectively bargain through their Union. Ireland remains an outlier in Western Europe in this regard. Working people, like those in Carroll’s, should not be forced into industrial action simply to secure fair treatment,” he said.

SIPTU members will maintain pickets during all stoppages, including the two additional 12-hour actions scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, both commencing at 7am.