Vita Cortex dispute ends

Workers at the Vita Cortex plant in Cork have voted this evening to accept a proposal for outstanding redundancy payments from the owners of the company.

Some 23 former employees of the company have been occupying the plant in Cork for the past 139 days. The proposal paves the way for the dispute to be brought to an end.

Siptu divisional organiser Gerry McCormack confirmed that all 23 members of Siptu had voted to accept the latest offer from Vita Cortex owner, Jack Ronan and other directors but declined to reveal the terms of the deal which were agreed on a confidential basis.

However Mr McCormack did say that the offer agreed with Mr Ronan was "a significant improvement" on the €180,000 euro offered by Mr Ronan in January which the union had described at the time as "derisory".

It is understood that today’s agreement followed a four hour meeting between Mr McCormack, Ms Egar and Siptu General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn with Mr Ronan and Vita Cortex Managing Director, Ian Kirby, at the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork.

Following the hammering out of the deal which followed contact between Mr O’Flynn and Vita Cortex shareholder and former owner, Sean McHenry, Siptu officials presented the details of the package to the former employees at a meeting in the Metropole Hotel in Cork.

Workers voted unanimously to accept the package but the occupation of the company’s plant on the Kinsale Road will continue for another fortnight on a scaled back basis to ensure that the company complies with the terms of the deal, Mr McCormack said.

He added that the workers were "very pleased" this evening.

“The workers are satisfied that these proposals, which were agreed following direct talks between Siptu representatives and the owners of Vita Cortex earlier today in Cork, provide the basis for the full and final settlement of this dispute.

“After four months campaigning to secure equitable and fair redundancy payments, which takes account of their long years of service at Vita Cortex, they can now return to their normal lives satisfied they achieved their objective,” he said.

Siptu's Anne Egar said the workers had shown "massive commitment and resolve" during the dispute.

"Their perseverance has been an example to others in similar situations in Ireland and beyond. It has been an honour for me to represent them.”

Vita Cortex could not be contacted for comment.

Minister for Jobs and Enterprise Richard Bruton welcomed the news this evening.

“This has been an extremely tough 139 days for these workers, and I am very happy that a solution has been found that will allow them to end the sit-in. When I met the workers recently they explained to me the toll that the events since December have taken on them, and I am sure that they will be relieved to return to their families this evening.

“I would like to thank the Labour Relations Commission, my officials as well as all the parties who have played a role in trying to resolve this very difficult dispute,” he said.