One of Cork's longest established pharmaceutical companies has announced that 170 jobs are to be cut within the next three months.
Employees at Schering-Plough's plant in Brinny, Innishannon met with management yesterday afternoon to be told that the company is seeking to reduce its 930 strong workforce to 762.
The company blamed the job cuts on a significant drop in the demand of its anti-cancer and anti-viral medicines which are used in the treatment of hepatitis-C, malignant melanoma and other cancers.
It also follows upon the recent announcement by Schering-Plough Corporation of a 10 per cent reduction in payroll expenses worldwide.
Dr Colman Casey, managing director, said the decision had been made with great regret and added the company will initially seek a number of voluntary redundancies while certain contract positions will not be renewed.
"The situation is very difficult given that Brinny has grown significantly over the years." He said the sales shortfall has also resulted in high inventories at the site and "we had to face a position for the foreseeable future where some buildings would need to be closed down," Dr Casey said.
Established in 1986 in Innishannon, the company's workforce is made up largely of employees from the west Cork region of Bandon and Kinsale, as well as Cork City.
The news was described as a catastrophe for the region by worker's union SIPTU, which will hold an exploratory meeting with management today.
"There had been rumours but we never expected the numbers would be so high. There are a number of workers who had lost their jobs in Macroom when the GSI plant closed two years ago, and now they are facing redundancy again - it's tragic," SIPTU Branch Secretary Eddie Mullins said.
However, the union official added that it is hoped the number of actual job losses can be minimised. "Our priority will be to minimise the numbers by having it on a voluntary situation and having the best possible package available to our members. That is as much as we can hope for," Mr Mullins added.
One of the workers who moved to Schering-Plough following the closure of the Macroom plant is a single mother, Ms Siobhán O'Neill. Originally from Britain, Ms O'Neill is a contract worker with the Innishannon company, and yesterday said the news has prompted her to consider packing up and returning to Yorkshire with her daughter.
"My daughter is in Leaving Certificate and hopes to go to college. But if you don't have a wage every week from the company then it's very hard to live in Ireland because everything is so expensive," the worker said.