SIPTU has called on the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation, Richard Burton, to directly intervene in the long running dispute at the Lagan Brick production plant in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan.

At a press conference in Kingscourt on Friday (15th June) SIPTU Utilities and Construction Division Organiser, Christy McQuillan, said the minister must demand a meeting with the company’s directors in order to impress on them the need to agree an equitable solution to the dispute.

"This dispute has dragged on for more than six months due to the complete intransigence displayed by the owners of Lagan Brick. These workers are still on the company payroll but are not getting paid. The workers are simply seeking the same redundancy terms that their colleagues received in 2009 while the company is offering a fraction of this.

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"If an equitable solution to this dispute is not found in the coming days the workers will be left with no option but to embark on a major escalation of their campaign. The time has come for the Government to take action that will assist in the just resolution of this dispute."

At the press conference, Christy McQuillan announced that a Rights Commissioner had upheld a complaint by the Lagan Brick workers that the company had failed to comply with the Protection of Employment Act, which stipulates that the company must engage in a 30 day consultation period before the enforcement of any compulsory redundancies.

SIPTU has now referred the issues in dispute to the Labour Court. However, the company has refused to attend the Labour Court under normal industrial relations procedures.

Workers at the Lagan Brick manufacturing plant in Kingscourt were informed that it was closing only hours before it ceased operation on Friday, 15th December. Since then, 25 SIPTU members employed at the plant have been in dispute with the management of Lagan Brick over its failure to pay established redundancy terms.

(CD)