Workers at Coca Cola Ireland are to picket the company’s main distribution centres on Thursday over management’s decision to outsource 130 jobs.
Siptu said they were forced to take the action after bosses refused to discuss any alternative to the cost-cutting measure.
The trade union said the industrial action would continue until the company involves industrial relations trouble-shooters to help resolve the dispute.
Branch organiser John Dunne said: “Coca Cola HBC has refused to engage in discussions at the Labour Relations Commission on the issues in dispute including any serious examination of an alternative to the planned outsourcing of these jobs.
“We will be placing pickets on Coca Cola HBC depots in Tuam, Cork, Dublin, Waterford and Tipperary from 8am on Thursday unless the company agrees to use long-standing dispute resolution procedures, including the LRC and the Labour Court to resolve matters and reach an acceptable agreement.”
The pickets will be placed at Coca Cola depots in the Ballycoolin Business Park, Cappagh Road, Dublin, Carrigrohane Road in Cork, the Galway Road, Tuam and at shared depots in Waterford and Tipperary Town.
Siptu served notice on bosses after talks at the Labour Relations Commission ended without agreement last week.
But Coca Cola said there was no alternative but to push ahead with the cost-cutting proposals and claimed strike action was detrimental.
Coca Cola carried out a review of its operations in June and said its costs here were high compared with other countries.
The company said it held talks with workers and trade union bosses and various alternatives to outsourcing were examined.
The affected workers are based in warehousing and distribution services in Dublin, Cork, Tuam, Tipperary, Waterford and Killarney.
The company said it was offering a redundancy package of six weeks per year of service up to €125,000 or the option to transfer to the third party logistic providers.
But Siptu claimed drivers and warehouse staff have received letters from three private transport companies offering them transferred work at lower pay and conditions.
Mr Dunne said: “Now these three companies have contacted our members without any consultation with SIPTU to offer them greatly disimproved working conditions in clear breach of union agreements and Transfer of Undertaking regulations made with Coca Cola HBC.”
PA