Ten former workers at Tipperary Natural Mineral Water have decided to protest outside the latter Companies Dublin distribution plant, beginning this morning. The workers claim they were forcibly made redundant because they attempted to join a trade-union.
Mr David Whelan, SIPTU former shop-steward at the plant, has stated that he had worked at the Tipperary Natural Mineral Water for four years and over the last few years the management had continuously made deductions and cuts to wages, claiming the company was losing money. Mr Whelan claims that while three of the redundancies were voluntary, ten members of the workforce had been dismissed on the grounds that they were not sufficiently skilled. Mr Whelan also claims that he had no skills yet was working at the plant for four years and ten new temporary staff had been taken on just days after the redundancies were confirmed.
Latest public accounts for M & J Gleeson (Investments) Ltd, indicate that it had a turnover in the last fiscal year of €261 million, with profits of €4.7 million, an increase of €0.2 million on their 2010 declared profits.
The company is involved in bottling and distribution as well as manufacturing products such as freeze pops, soft drinks, cider, cream liqueurs and mineral water.
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