22 jobs go in Kildare plant closure

Some 22 jobs are to be lost following the closure of a concrete factory in Co Kildare.

Doyle Concrete announced yesterday that it would be closing down its business in Rathangan as a result of a six-and-a-half week strike at the factory.

Siptu has strongly denied the claim and has accused the company of ignoring the terms of a Labour Court recommendation to resolve the dispute.

Doyle Concrete managing director Catherine Marshall said it was a sad day for the company, which was founded by her father 38 years ago and had traded successfully and provided employment throughout that period.

"During the strike we lost our customer base and although we have endeavoured to get it back, we have not been successful. Those 22 people shouldn't have lost their jobs and wouldn't have if Siptu had not called the strike."

The strike began last October when the company made some staff redundant and introduced a lower rate of pay for new employees as part of a rescue package. Siptu accused them of behaving like Irish Ferries.

Prior to the strike 29 people were employed at the plant.

Though the issues were resolved at the Labour Court, with the company being told to revert to the existing rates of pay for its staff, Doyle Concrete never resumed business.

The closure is complicated by sister company Steelite Ltd, which will remain in business and in which some of Doyle Concrete's former employees will be working. Steelite is owned by a member of Ms Marshall's family but is, she claimed, a separate company. Siptu representatives dispute this and said the same people run and control the plant.

Adrian Kane, Siptu's Kildare/Leixlip branch organiser, said that only two weeks ago the Labour Court recommended five weeks' pay per year of service for those being made redundant and indicated that the selection process should be voluntary.

"We now have a situation where 16 Siptu members are being made compulsorily redundant while workers who broke an official strike and who have less than 12 months service remain in the company. This is union bashing at its worse," he said.

Doyle Concrete is to hold a meeting with union representatives tomorrow afternoon. This will be followed by a meeting of Siptu members.