REDUNDANCY payments ranging from £1,000 to £3,500 should be available for 800 former Packard workers at the company's Tallaght plant this morning.
The payments are "top-ups" the company agreed to pay after the Minister of State for Business, Science and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, met senior management last June and the Packard unions threatened to launch a publicity campaign targeting cars produced by General Motors, which owns the company.
Former Packard workers have already received amounts of up to £25,000 in redundancy payments but the balance has been overdue for nearly six months.
Originally Packard offered workers five weeks' pay for each year of service (inclusive of statutory entitlements). It refused initially to improve the offer, even after the Labour Court had recommended that the statutory entitlements be made additional to the five weeks and that deferred pay rises be taken into account in calculating redundancy pay.
Eventually the company agreed to add $500,000 (£303,000) to the overall redundancy package and authorise the reIease of £1.5 million in surplus pension funds. However, there were unexpected legal complications which have taken nearly six months to resolve.
A senior manager at the Tallaght plant, Mr Jim Dolan, who is also a trustee of the pension fund, played an important role in resolving the difficulties.
Last night Mr Rabbitte welcomed the release of the funds. He praised local management for being "very helpful and proactive" in bringing discussions to a conclusion. He also praised the workforce for the way in which they handled a difficult situation.
He said that increasing numbers of former Packard employees were finding new jobs. "I hope employers will continue to recognise their adaptability and quality as workers.
The Fianna Fail spokeswoman on enterprise and employment, Ms Mary O'Rourke, also welcomed the release of the funds. She said it was a timely break- through for the former Packard workers, and their families.
Last night a former chairman of the shop stewards' committee, Mr, Martin Walsh, said: "It wasn't a great deal, but I welcome the fact that the Labour Court recommendation is finally being paid."