Shannon-based diamond manufacturer, Element Six has accepted a Labour Court recommendation which could save 163 jobs at the plant.
Element Six general manager Ken Sullivan, made the announcement this morning.
“I am happy to confirm that, after deliberating extensively regarding the various options, our executive has today accepted the Labour Court recommendation in full, which ultimately means we can save additional jobs in Shannon which were going to be lost as per the original wind-down plan announced on July 22nd,” said Mr Sullivan.
Siptu and the Teeu will now ballot members on the court recommendation. The Unite union has already voted in favour of the Labour Court ruling.
The company said it has written to staff notifying them of management’s decision and "encouraging them to accept the recommendation".
The company proposed a survival plan aimed at saving manufacturing and 163 of the 370 jobs at the plant in September. Siptu refused to engage with the company pending the holding of talks at the Labour Court on the terms of the redundancy deal on offer.
It is understood the court recommended that workers receive four weeks’ pay for each year worked, to be capped at 78 weeks, in a package which is lower than what was on offer last January in a previous deal.
The court also recommended the abolition of shift allowances to be replaced by a bonus scheme. The court has also recommended that the company can pay 66 per cent of the redundancy deal now and the rest next February.