After much wrangling, union officials and management at a Navan-based mine are to put forward a cost-cutting plan to workers today.

Tara Mines employees will either vote to accept or reject the agreement, which was formulated in a bid to save jobs.

However, should workers fail to vote favourably on the plans, they have been warned to expect immediate job losses.

SIPTU and the facility's management negotiated the deal following initial proposals to cut jobs and freeze salaries.

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The union has now put forward alternative proposals that would protect employment levels.

Independent facilitator Janet Hughes said: "I do not normally include a commentary in proposals, but on this occasion I feel that it is necessary to express my views that if either side do not accept these proposals there will be an immediate loss of employment at Tara and the longer-term prospects for employment and conditions at the mine will also suffer."

It is believed the proposals provide eight redundancy packages, which will be made available at the end of this year, and a further eight at the end of 2010.

The result of the ballot among the company's 670 employees will be known on Thursday.

See: Job Fears At Tara Mines

(PR/JM)