SIPTU has called on the owners of Lagan Brick to end a campaign of disinformation relating to the long running dispute at the company's manufacturing plant in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, dismissed a statement released by a public relations company on behalf of the management of Lagan Brick, on Thursday, as "totally inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the dispute".

He said: "For example, the statement refers to Lagan Brick offering ‘enhanced’ redundancy terms to the Lagan Brick workers. In reality there is no redundancy offer from the company currently on the table for the Lagan Brick workers to accept or reject.

"Furthermore, the statement claims that the company adhered to its statutory obligations in relation to the implementation of job losses at the Kingscourt facility. In fact, Lagan Brick did not comply with the law for compulsory redundancy (Protection of Employment Act) by not entering into the minimum 30-day consultation period with the workers’ union prior to the implementation of any job losses. A Rights Commissioner has found in the workers favour on this issue."

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John Regan added: "The statement also includes completely misleading references to previous job losses implemented by Lagan Brick and the successful conclusion of the industrial dispute at the Vita Cortex manufacturing plant in Cork. The reality is that the dispute at the Lagan Brick plant in Kingscourt results from the company’s refusal to honour a 2009 agreement, which states that workers made redundant at the facility will receive four weeks' pay per year of service inclusive of Statutory Redundancy Entitlements.

"Finally, the statement refers to allegations made by the company in relation to protests, which it claims, were linked to the dispute. Legal action relating to these allegations was struck out at a High Court hearing in Dublin on Friday, 6th July. The High Court ruled that neither SIPTU, nor any Lagan Brick worker, had any case to answer."

Workers at the Lagan Brick manufacturing plant in Kingscourt were informed it was closing only hours before it ceased operation on Friday, 15th December. Since then 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/GK)