The Irish Congress of Trade Unions will hold an emergency debate on Tara Mines this morning. This follows a decision by shop stewards at the Navan plant to accept the Labour Court rescue plan for the company.
The shop stewards accepted the recommendation unanimously at a three-hour meeting in Navan. However, it is not clear if the company will do likewise. Last night the SIPTU regional secretary, Mr Jack O'Connor, said the union would be seeking an urgent meeting with the company to finalise an implementation plan that would make the mine viable and would be capable of recommendation for acceptance by both sides.
Mr O'Connor, who is attending the ICTU conference in Killarney, said he would be moving an emergency motion on Tara Mines this morning. He said the group of unions at the mine wants "to alert the conference to the fact that closure has been threatened, with the loss of 630 jobs, because of the company's insistence on compliance with its own ultimatum."
This involved severe cuts in pay and other serious diminutions in conditions of employment, despite the fact the Labour Court had endorsed the union plan for a trial period of three months. After this the company's plan could be implemented.
He added that the Labour Court recommendation could save the jobs and ensure a viable mining operation.
Tara Mines management was not commenting on the SIPTU initiative last night. However, it is likely the company's board will meet to review the situation before deciding whether or not to accept the union's invitation to talks. It has already been made clear that the only basis it considers acceptable for discussions is its own survival plan.
Today's debate in Killarney could prove stormy, as it comes immediately before the IBEC director-general, Mr John Dunne, is due to speak on social partnership in the workplace. At the same time union leaders will be anxious not to do anything that might jeopardise the prospects of the new talks to save Tara Mines.
The Finnish owner, Outo kompu, has lost over $30 million on the Navan operation since the beginning of 1998, because of plummeting zinc prices. It has already told the board of its Irish subsidiary that it will cease to subsidise Navan from July 19th, when the mine will close.