Workers and management at Lagan Brick, Co Cavan, have accepted proposals aimed at bringing an end to an industrial dispute at the plant.
The Siptu trade union said the proposals were presented following a nine-hour meeting between union representatives and management at the Labour Relations Commission on Monday.
Siptu said the recommendations included the immediate appointment of an independent assessor to examine the company’s trading position and an assessment of the viability of continuing manufacturing.
The assessor is to provide a report to both sides within a period of two weeks.
The union said the workers, who have been protesting outside the Kingscourt plant since mid-December, had agreed to facilitate the release of up to 300,000 bricks in the intervening period.
It said the company had agreed that revenue from the sale of these bricks would be used to cover any severance or redundancy payments, over and above statutory entitlements, that may arise in the future.
Union organiser John Regan said the proposals were agreed yesterday by the 25 Siptu members affected by the “sudden closure” of the Lagan Brick facility in mid-December.
He said the union had received confirmation that management had also agreed to the proposals this morning.
“It is to be hoped that the process envisaged in these proposals will provide the necessary groundwork for a complete and just settlement to this dispute,” Mr Regan said.
In a statement, Lagan Brick confirmed it had agreed to the appointment of an independent assessor to examine the company’s trading position, and an assessment of the viability of continuing manufacturing at the Kingscourt facility.
It said it expected that this would "confirm the need for closure".
It said financial information had already been made available to employee representatives "some time ago".
"Lagan Brick has agreed to this on the basis that employees cease from blockading deliveries to customers.
"The company confirmed that release of deliveries to customers would realise revenue which will contribute to funds for the payment of severance terms. This will include movement beyond the statutory entitlements, on the understanding that the blockades cease."
Union representatives and management will attend a reconvened conciliation conference on Monday, January 30th.