Following demands by Independent T.D. Deputy Michael Lowry, 140 workers employed at the C&C plant will meet with their management this afternoon to be briefed on future employment at the plant.
Earlier today an angry Mr Lowry demanded clarity from the C&C Company on leaked newspaper reports that the plant was earmarked for closure with the loss the majority of its workforce.
The Deputy, in addressing the media, described the present situation as utterly shocking and totally disrespectful to the Borrisoleigh work force.
“Since the acquisition of the Tipperary Water manufacturer, Drinks Supplier and Distributor Gleeson Group, for a reported €12.4million by C&C in November 2012, I have been sceptical and suspicious of their motivations. From the onset there has been great difficulty with C&C in outlining any future business plan for the Borrisoleigh plant. C&C have been reluctant to hold any meaningful engagement with employees and to communicate their future intentions for the Borrisoleigh site. After much aggravation they eventually agreed to recognise the Union SIPTU, but even then the plans for the future of the company remained sparse”, commented Lowry.
Since 2012 the plant in Borrisoleigh was gradually diluted, through the reduction of manufacturing jobs by voluntary redundancies and by the diversion of sales and administration to Belfast in Northern Ireland. The centralizing of management to their UK office saw the centralisation of their logistics office with this function outsourced to the private sector and the long practice of retaining local management of the plant, discontinued. News broke via the public media this morning that 140 staff are to be made redundant at the former Gleeson’s, now C&C owned plant, as part of future cost-cutting plans.
Deputy Lowry stated this morning; “Effectively what we are witnessing here is ‘closure by stealth’ and the failure of a company to properly communicate with staff. The Company have been totally disingenuous with regard to their real intentions regarding the Borrisoleigh site. Their method of doing business, their conduct and overall behaviour is nothing short of despicable.
The profitable Gleeson plant is synonymous with the village of Borrisoleigh and its local residents for generations have been the very heartbeat of this local economy. This action by C&C will have a devastating impact on the workers and their dependent families in the entire community.
It is ironic that the company has been working 3 shifts in the immediate presence to meet demand and that the plant has made substantial profits during its 2015 operations. The company C+C are a publically listed company, driven by shareholder demands. The human costs of this heartless decision was not used as the deciding factor; rather the decision was made on the principle, ‘Nothing must be allowed to get in the way of maximum profit’.
I wish to convey my complete support for all the employees affected by this sudden announcement and respectfully request that C&C now enter into meaningful negotiations with their staff, their management and Union representatives; in an effort to resolve this serious matters” concluded Michael Lowry T.D.
This news follows the loss of some 380 jobs lost last December with the closure of the Lisheen Mine, situated just 15mls (24.3 km) to the north of Borrisoleigh.
Good show Lowry