Written answers

Tuesday, 24 October 2006

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Company Closures

9:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 463: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the dispute between the former Greencore workers and Greencore regarding pension claims and entitlements; the action or intervention that he has taken of intends to take in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33898/06]

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The current dispute between former Greencore workers and Greencore relates to redundancy terms rather than pension issues.

On 26 April 2006, the Labour Court made a recommendation regarding redundancy terms for Irish Sugar workers at the Mallow plant. The recommendation provided that redundancy should be 5 weeks' pay per year of service, where a week's pay would be defined as actual finishing salary, excluding overtime, plus statutory redundancy entitlement, plus a bonus payment for an orderly wind-down. However, I understand that the company and the trade unions could not agree on the method of calculating finishing salary. The Court issued two clarifications, but these failed to resolve the dispute.

The National Implementation Body has worked with the parties concerned on an agreed procedure to resolve the issue in dispute.

The Labour Court has invited the parties to return to the Court with a view to resolving the dispute. However, the company rejected the Court's invitation. I very much regret the decision taken by the company in this regard.

I understand that the Labour Court has written to Greencore further clarifying its recommendation.

While responsibility for the settlement of a dispute rests, ultimately, with the parties themselves, I would urge the company to reconsider its decision not to attend the Labour Court for talks. The Court remains available to advance a resolution to the dispute. The experience and expertise of the Labour Court, in my view, offer the best avenue for resolving the issue under dispute.

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