Sitpu and Vita Cortex have agreed to attend talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) tomorrow over the ongoing dispute over dispute over redundancy payments at the Cork firm.
Thirty-two former workers at the firm’s manufacturing plant in Ballyphehane, Cork have been engaged in a sit-in over their redundancy payments for more than three weeks.
Employees are seeking a €1.2 million redundancy package – 2.9 weeks per year of service for each worker – which they believe Vita Cortex has the capacity to pay.
The owner of the business Jack Ronan has said his current financial position does not allow him to make funds available to pay the former staff.
In a statement, the LRC said it had agreed to chair “exploratory discussions so we can help the parties to clarify the facts of the situation and against that background to explore with the parties what potential there is for finding a mutual way forward.”
Sitpu organiser Ann Egar said the sit-in at the plant will continue until a resolution to the dispute is found. She said a protest rally at the Dail tomorrow afternoon in support of the Vita Cortex workers Eireann will proceed as planned.
The protest, which has been organised by Siptu, is being supported by Ictu and other trade unions including Unite, the TEEU and Mandate.
Ictu general secretary David Begg said the 32 Vita Cortex workers had been treated shamefully, but had shown "great courage and determination”.