Siptu meets politicians on Bausch & Lomb jobs threat

Siptu representatives at staff at Bausch & Lomb's Waterford plant were to meet local politicians at 2pm today following the eye health product company's threat to close the plant unless they got agreement on a plan for a 20 per cent pay cut for staff on top of 200 redundancies.

In a statement last Thursday, the Bausch & Lomb group said it was looking to bring the cost base of the Irish plant closer to that in Rochester, New York, where it says wage rates are more than 30 per cent lower.

It said discussions with staff and union representatives on the cost-cutting proposals would begin tomorrow and that it hoped to reach a resolution by June 17th.

The company, which makes contact lenses and eye care products, is one of the largest employers in the southeast.

Siptu sector organiser Alan O’Leary said the impact of the threats if followed through would be severe in the region.

“If the large number of indirect jobs linked to the 1,200 manufacturing jobs at Bausch & Lomb including suppliers, cleaning and catering staff, transport workers and local shops are considered, the impact of these threats if followed through, would be devastating to the southeast region,” he said.

“Governmental assistance and support to prevent this from occurring must be a top priority.”

Meanwhile Siptu vice-president Patricia King has written to Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton seeking an urgent meeting on the issue.

In a statement, the union said she planned to ask why the union and Bausch & Lomb workers were not informed of talks between the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the IDA and Valeant, the company which controls the contact lens manufacturer, which had been ongoing for months prior to Thursday's announcement.

“The Government and IDA were in discussions with company executives for ‘many months’ but the workers and union representatives have only been given until 17th June to reach agreement on massive cuts in jobs and wages,” said Mr O’Leary.

"This is an unrealistic timeframe and the union is considering requesting the urgent assistance of the Labour Relations Commission and Labour Court to assist in brokering a more balanced resolution."

Mr O’Leary said details of negotiations with Valeant will not be publicly released until the 900 Siptu members employed at the Waterford plant have had the chance to vote on any proposal that may emerge.

“The Government and IDA must also not be allowed walk away from their responsibility to the workers, their families and businesses in the southeast region,” he added.