Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The New Boliden Tara Mines in Navan, Co Meath. MARK STEDMAN/PHOTOCALL IRELAND

Workers at Tara Mines begin protest over plans to temporarily close the site

Unite trade union workers have begun a protest which they say is the ‘result of management intransigence’.

WORKERS AT TARA Mines in Co Meath have begun a protest over plans to temporarily close the site.

In a statement on 13 June, Swedish parent company Boliden confirmed that production and exploration at the mine would cease temporarily and the mine would be placed “under care and maintenance” within a month.

Gunnar Nyström, general manager of Tara Mines said: “This was not a decision we made lightly, but we simply have to stem the unsustainable cash outflow that we are currently experiencing, in order to safeguard the long-term future of the mine.”

This would involve the loss of 650 jobs at the Navan mine, which is Europe’s largest zinc mine.

Workers at the mine who are members of the Unite trade union have begun a protest which they say is the “result of management intransigence”.

Unite’s regional coordinating officer Tom Fitzgerald last night said: “This protest should not come as a surprise to anyone.

“Workers are frustrated at management’s ongoing refusal to fully disclose Tara Mines’ profits, as well as their refusal to commit to an early date for resumption of operations at the mine.

“Workers at Tara Mines, who are facing the prospect of indefinite layoff without pay, have clearly seen no alternative but to take this action due to the company’s intransigence and their refusal to engage with workers and their representatives in any meaningful way.”

Fitzgerald added that “public ownership of Tara Mines must be on the agenda”.

Meanwhile, Siptu has called on the government to “urgently engage” with Swedish parent company Boliden.

Siptu will table an emergency motion at today’s ICTU Biennial Delegate Conference calling for an “immediate and major intervention by the government to protect the continued operation of Tara Mines”.

The motion will also call for workers continue to be paid in full.

Siptu yesterday held discussions with the management at Tara Mines at the Workplace Relations Commission.

However, Siptu division organiser Adrian Kane said these discussions “ended without any substantial progress”.

The talks are scheduled to reconvene tomorrow.

Kane added that the “only possibility for the continued operation being secured is if there is a major intervention by the Government”.

Kane also said that Tara Mines has a “strategic role” in the wider national economy and that the “importance of zinc as a critical mineral in transitioning to a carbon neutral economy must be considered by the Government”.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
14 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marcus Massey
    Favourite Marcus Massey
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 9:10 AM

    I’m currently in Shanghai. Schools are closed and online learning begins tomorrow. Hearing rumours that sitting in in restaurants is being suspended. There’s a minimal upsurge in apartment buildings being closed and residents being quarantined. All issues are protective. All in all, it’s grand.

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hear me now
    Favourite Hear me now
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 8:44 AM

    Well let’s just hope this isn’t a strong variant & if it dies steady that we have learned and will protect the old and the vulnerable. If you feel any symptoms take a test and if you have covid you isolate.
    With so many vaccinated it will bearly even affect people that much hopefully.
    So yea hopefully we’ve learned over the last 2 years, no need for restrictions, lockdowns, masks!!!!
    Think peoples appetite for all that again won’t be great!

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Twitruser2022
    Favourite Twitruser2022
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 8:22 AM

    Fecking covid and rus-putin+ GREAT DECADE SO FAR!

    72
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe_X
    Favourite Joe_X
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 1:04 PM

    I’m hoping our own current surge, is just the side effect of the lastest lifting of restrictions, and not the new varient that I’ve been reading abiut the last couple of days. (Funny how the Journal has not reported on it when Cork Beo was reporting on what Luke O’Neill said about it yesterday) Regardless, If people can maybe keep their wits about them, keeping in mind the likes of hand hygeine and watch what direction they are coughing in when the could not be arsed covering they’re mouths, or maybe voluntarily put on the mask, we can nip this surge in the bud. None of us want to go back where we were the last couple years.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger O'Reilly
    Favourite Ger O'Reilly
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 3:54 PM

    The bats have come home to roost.

    7
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds