Unions reject IBEC 'threat' to redundancy protest

Unions have reacted strongly to a warning by IBEC to workers against taking part in next month¿s planned half-day stoppage over statutory redundancy payments that could involve over 250,000 people.

IBEC, the employers' representative body, said its members were considering taking legal action and workers joining the stoppage could face disciplinary action and even dismissal.

Mr Brendan McGinty, IBEC's director of human resources, also warned trade unions that they could face legal proceedings over alleged breaches of the Industrial Relations Act. "It beggars belief that the unions are organising work stoppages across the country at this dark economic time when we should be doing all we can to keep jobs, not undermine them," he said.

However, SIPTU said today its members would not be "bullied or intimidated" by IBEC, which it accused of descending to new depths in trying to discourage workers from exercising their democratic right to protest.

SIPTU vice president, Mr Jack O'Connor, said that many employers actually accept that current legal minimum for redundancy compensation is "grossly" inadequate, despite IBEC's claims to the contrary.

These employers wanted no part in IBEC's "mean-spirited and irresponsible behaviour", he argued. "But far from articulating their concerns, IBEC is more concerned to do the bidding of the maverick minority who constitute the unacceptable face of capitalism in the twenty-first century."

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union's (TEEU) acting general secretary, Mr Eamon Devoy, said his members would not give in to the "threats" from IBEC.

Mr McGinty told ireland.com, however, that IBEC were not threatening workers or unions. "We are simply explaining the potential consequences of engaging in unlawful industrial action."

The stoppage was announced earlier this month by a group of unions who are seeking an increase in redundancy payments to three weeks per year of service. Employees are currently entitled to only half a week's pay per year of service if they are under 41 years of age and one week's pay per year above that age.

The dispute escalated further by the refusal by management at Peerless Rugs in Athy, Co Kildare and Irish Glass Bottle Co in Ringsend, Dublin to grant Labour Court redundancy awards to workers.

The plan was backed by ICTU last week. On Friday, October 4th, up to 260,000 members of SIPTU, the TEEU, BATU (Building and Allied Trades Union) and UCATT (Union of Construction Workers) will cease working and attend rallies across the State. Up to 10,000 people are expected to demonstrate in Dublin.