Waterford Crystal faces two week-long shutdowns before the end of the year in response to falling demand for its products. The measures, following a similar closedown month, are likely to be implemented as an alternative to the three-day week proposed by the company in September.

Union leaders are understood to have rejected the short-time working formula as it would not have been equally applied to the 1,600 staff at the company's plants in Waterford city and Dungarvan.

While some staff would have been out of work for 19 days by the end of the year, others would have missed just five. Two week-long closures, combined with the earlier shutdown, would see all staff losing 15 days.

Staff will be informed of progress in union-management talks at general meetings organised by the ATGWU, which represents the majority of the workers, in Waterford city tomorrow and Dungarvan on Monday. It is understood the first week-long closure is to take place before the end of the month and the second in December.

The union is seeking clarification on the announcement on Wednesday that the company is to shed about 100 jobs. Mr Walter Cullen, ATGWU regional industrial organiser, said the union was aware there would be an impact on job numbers and this issue formed part of the negotiations being conducted with management. He said the firm had caused confusion about how the job cuts were to be implemented which are to be achieved through voluntary redundancies, early retirements and non-renewal of contracts.