DELL WORKERS in Limerick are taking a case to the Labour Court in a bid to secure an improved redundancy package for nearly 2,000 staff laid off by the computer giant.
The workers are entitled to seek a judgment from the Labour Court under section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act 1969, which allows for the action, if the applicants accept that the court’s findings are full and final.
According to workers representatives, the section 20 case is being taken because Dell refused to engage with the Labour Relations Commission after the company announced its decision last January to close its manufacturing facility in Limerick resulting in the loss of 1,900 jobs.
Dell workers will be entitled to a public judgment from the State through the Labour Court.
While Dell is not obliged to take part, the company may decide to submit evidence given the fact that it is a public process.
The Dell workers are currently preparing their case and expect to submit their report before the end of this month, according to Denis Ryan, chairman of the Dell Workers Committee.
“We are pursuing this course of action because, when Dell workers sought a meeting with the company at the Labour Relations Commission, Dell refused to meet them,” said Mr Ryan.
‘‘We want to highlight our grievances with the company over the redundancy package currently on offer and there are a number of other issues which we will be highlighting in our report, which will probably run to 20 or 25 pages,” he added.
The Dell workers are taking the case in conjunction with Labour MEP Alan Kelly MEP (South) who has been working closely with them since January last.
“This represents a major step for the campaign of the Dell workers. They will be receiving a public judgment regarding their treatment as employees from the Irish courts,” Mr Kelly said.
“It is highly regrettable that Dell did not respect the institutions of the State and meet the workers at the LRC in the first instance.
“The workers have been left with no other choice but to pursue this case through the Labour Court and I will be fully supporting them in doing so,” he added.