A final Mass for the families and friends of Vita Cortex workers took place at the former foam factory in Cork city yesterday morning. The Mass was celebrated by Ballyphehane parish priest Fr Michael Murphy, who also officiated at a Christmas Day Mass onsite and a service to mark the 100th day of the sit-in.
Yesterday’s Mass was held on the 150th day of the sit-in. The Vita Cortex workers said they were taking the final steps on what had been a long road to justice. “It is heartening to know that you all never left our sides. There were times when you carried us.”
Greg Marshall, who worked at Vita Cortex for 37 years, thanked all those who “brought food, sent Mass cards, wrote poems, drew pictures and lit candles” during the sit-in.
On May 2nd the dispute ended after union representatives accepted terms for outstanding redundancy pay.
Siptu, the company, its shareholders and worker representatives negotiated an undisclosed deal bringing an end to the dispute that has seen 32 former employees stage a sit-in at the Cork plant.
The redundancy offer is understood to have fallen short of the package demanded by the workers but represented a substantial improvement on the €180,000 settlement tabled in March. As a precautionary measure the workers decided to continue the sit-in until the money was received.
The workers’ occupation of the former factory in Ballyphehane is expected to end within days.