Siptu demands meeting with C&C on job losses

Trade union Siptu is seeking an urgent meeting with drinks group C&C as it confirmed plans to shut a bottling plant with the loss of 140 jobs.

The maker of Bulmers and Magners cider is closing its water bottling facility in Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary, in which 140 people work, and a plant in Shepton Mallet, Somerset in England that employes a further 120 people.

C&C will consolidate production in its Clonmel plant, where it will hire an extra 80 people, but it confirmed on Tuesday that there will be a net loss of 50 posts in the Republic.

Siptu organiser, Terry Bryan, said that the union is seeking an urgent meeting with C&C's regarding these plans and added that the news had come as a shock to members in both Tipperary plants.

“Later today the Siptu workplace committees in both the Borrisoleigh and Clonmel plants will meet with local management to discuss the situation,” he said.

“We intend to engage with senior management at the company as soon as possible to confirm its intentions and to ensure the interests of our members are respected.”

Independent TD Mattie McGrath said that he was disappointed at news of the closure.