The Labour Court is to intervene in the Tara Mines dispute, following the breakdown of talks between the company and unions over a radical rationalisation plan.
The managing director, Mr Charlie Brown, has flown to Helsinki to report to the owners, Outokumpu. The court is expected to invite both sides to a meeting tomorrow in an effort to save 600 jobs at the Navan facility. It was unclear last night if the unions would accept the invitation.
The company has made it clear that if the workers refuse to accept restructuring proposals negotiated between the company and its unions, it will introduce its own plan to increase productivity on February 1st. The plan, entitled Tara 2005, would see production bonuses for miners cut by up to £400 a week. Miners earn up to, including bonus, £50,000 a year.
The company says that wage rates are higher at Tara mines than 90 per cent of its competitors, and that the quality of ore grades is poorer than in 72 per cent of competing mines. The company has said the mine will close if the workforce refuses to agree to boost productivity.
Under the rejected proposals, recommended by the unions, earnings of employees would have been protected. Employees voted to accept them except for 300 miners and general operatives.