THE WORKERS at troubled Westmeath factory Iralco are to go back to work on Monday after management, liquidators and union officials managed to secure jobs for the next six months.
The automotive parts manufacturer announced it was to close earlier this week when the High Court appointed liquidators to wind up the company, leaving 420 jobs on the line.
However, following a meeting yesterday evening at the factory, outside the village of Collinstown, it was announced that work will continue at Iralco until at least October. The General secretary of Unite, John Bolger, said that the reopening was down to the support from Iralco's customers, who had backed the firm to complete their orders.
"All of the customers have come through. We were fearful that only some of them might, which would have left us in considerable difficulty.
"There are four to five major customers and Iralco is a very big player in its sector and these customers are obviously very confident in them," Mr Bolger said.
Redundancies were discussed briefly at the meeting he added, but are currently "not on the agenda".
"On Monday we are reopening and all 426 workers will be back on site on their given shifts. The workers are coming back to a factory and plant that is going to produce for the next six months," he said.
Andrew Elder, a shop steward at the factory, said that in the short term employees have some security. "We had a positive meeting and going forward from that, the customers have undertaken to stay with Iralco for six months. We will continue to produce automotive car trim for those months. At least it gives us an opportunity and for the factory to be sold as a going concern," he said.
The decisions from the meeting are to be relayed to all Iralco staff at a special meeting tomorrow morning at a venue outside Mullingar.
"Redundancies were touched on at the meeting, but at the moment it is a full return to work," Mr Elder added. "It is a good outcome . . . in most cases, with other companies that have gone into liquidation, the gates were just locked. With Iralco, at least we can go back to work."
The negotiations constituted the last in a series of crisis meetings over the past few days. Local councillor Frank McDermott thanked everyone involved for their help in resolving the Iralco issues.
"Whether it is a stop-gap measure or not, it has been a success nevertheless. It's important to thank everyone for their input in making this a success. I am absolutely, totally, relieved and delighted," he said.
"Everyone is back to work on Monday and I am so glad to hear that.
"I have to mention the shop stewards and the union and the efforts they put into resolving this. It's happy days - no doubt about it."