Stanley workers vote to accept new agreement

Manufacturing workers at Waterford Stanley have voted in favour of terms offered by the company following a dispute threatening…

Manufacturing workers at Waterford Stanley have voted in favour of terms offered by the company following a dispute threatening 120 jobs at the stove-manufacturing firm.

TEEU trade union representatives and Waterford Stanley management agreed a recommendation brokered by Brian McGinn at Labour Relations Commission (LRC) talks in Waterford on Monday evening.

The workforce yesterday accepted the terms offered by a four-to-one majority.

It is understood the workers will get €500 as part of a new productivity agreement.

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The agreement came two days after the workers received registered letters from the company informing them that the jobs could be lost by Friday.

The current dispute arose when negotiations on April 10th, the deadline for the beginning of the relocation of the 13-acre Bilberry site to the former HP Chemie plant in Waterford Industrial Park, broke down.

Management refused employees' requests for a once-off €2,300 relocation payment, maintaining that it would cost up to €500,000.

Both parties agreed to continue negotiations at the LRC on April 18th, but talks broke down, with management serving protective notice on 120 manufacturing employees on April 20th.

There are 180 staff employed by the company.

It is understood productivity-based, gain-sharing and shift allowance issues were discussed at the talks.

Waterford Stanley declined to comment yesterday. The relocation is understood to begin shortly.

Ciarán Murphy

Ciarán Murphy

Ciarán Murphy, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a sports journalist. He writes about Gaelic games