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SIPTU HAS CONDEMNED the decision by Tara Mines in Co Meath to put its entire workforce on protective notice and said that a Labour Relations Commission conference will be held this week to discuss the move.
The 670 workers were placed on protective notice on Thursday last week by the management of Boliden, the Swedish multinational company that owns the zinc mine.
SIPTU Organiser, John O’Regan, said Boliden is attempting to drive down wages and working conditions for its Irish workforce even though it is a profitable company.
“The Tara Mines’ workers signed a two year agreement with management in July 2012, which the company is now seeking to tear up,” he said. “Even though the company is profitable, management is seeking reductions in workers’ pay, bonuses, overtime premiums, and lower rates of pay for new employees.”
An initial Labour Relations Commission conference to hear the company’s claim for disregarding the current agreement is scheduled for this Wednesday.
A section meeting of Tara Mines worker representatives will be held to discuss the company’s actions on Tuesday 15 January and a general meeting of all 400 SIPTU members at Tara Mines will also be held on Thursday 17 January.
Pre-tax profits for the firm that operates Tara Mines were €28 million in the 12 months until December last year.
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Who on earth let a swedish company own a mine on our own soil? No offence to the swedes but it seems every t.d in the history of Ireland like the quick buck… They have no vision
Was Finnish before it was Swedish and the whole of Navan and Meath have benefited from it operating for over 30 yrs now, not exactly quick buck stuff but I get ur point on selling rights to foreign bodies, not ideal but sometimes a necessary evil.
Management are just turning the screw looking for more profit, they know a lot of workers are in fear of unemployment ..
If the whole thing was running smoothly, then this wouldn’t happen.
The owners of these companies have the right to do what they want within the law. Unions can bitch and moan but if they make it too expensive, all of them will lose their job.
“Tara Mines produce some 200,000 tonnes of zinc, as well as 40,000 tonnes of lead each year, but a weakening US dollar and major drop in prices for these metals had led the Swedish owner of Tara Mines, Boliden, to review costs. SIPTU is the largest union at Tara Mines, and its members will meet this evening to discuss how they should respond.”
http://www.businessandleadership.com/leadership/item/12140-700-workers-at-tara-mines-o
Just realised that article is from 2009. Oops.
Anyway, here’s a nugget of info regarding the mine:
“Based in Navan, Co Meath, Tara is Europe’s largest zinc mine.”
The largest, and in my opinion, the best.
have your say