Staff seek State action to safeguard their jobs

Workers at a Waterford factory which is to close at the end of December called on the Government yesterday to intervene to save some of their jobs.

Staff at Tech Industries, a US-owned firm which has been in Waterford for 22 years and employs 119, say the decision to close the plant came "out of the blue".

An official with SIPTU, Ms Maria Butler, said workers were aware that the company had not been performing well in the past couple of years. "We expected some down-sizing, but a complete closure comes as a shock."

The company, which makes bottle caps for the cosmetics industry, said there had been a severe decline in markets caused by exchange rate, inflationary and other pressures. These included a significant increase in the cost of its core raw material, a by-product of oil.

Its financial controller, Mr Cornelius McFadden, said the company operated on high volumes and low margins and could not continue passing on price increases to its customers.

There was still a slight hope, however, that some of the jobs could be saved. Ms Butler claimed at least part of the company's operation was still viable and the union was not accepting closure at this stage.

"We have called on all our local TDs to get behind us and we would like to see a ministerial involvement of some kind to see what level of help is available to keep the operation going. I think in this case there is something to fight for," she said.

Mr McFadden said it was the company's intention to close on December 31st, but he did not rule out the possibility of that being averted. "The company has traded in Ireland for the past 22 years and this is not a decision which we would take lightly. It was a very difficult decision for management in Ireland and the US."

Local Labour Party TD Mr Brian O'Shea wrote yesterday to the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, asking her to establish a task force to ensure as many as possible of the jobs are saved.

IDA Ireland contacted the company yesterday, but as yet there have been no talks on a package which might save the company. Negotiations are due to begin, however, with the two trade unions involved, SIPTU and the TEEU, on a severance package for the workers, some of whom have been with the company since it arrived in Waterford.