The National Union of Journalists has accused Independent Newspapers (Ireland) of breaking the terms of the Sustaining Progress agreement in the implementation of a major restructuring package involving 205 redundancies.
The NUJ's Irish Secretary, Mr Seamus Dooley, said a decision that was taken at board level to "deliberately break" the terms of the collective agreement with the NUJ's sister unions was "an unprecedented display of contempt" not just for workers, but for the social partners ICTU, IBEC and, in particular, for the Government.
He said the restructuring plan must be viewed against a backdrop of "corporate greed" which he said was "at the heart" of Independent News and Media plc.
"This is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that Sir Anthony O'Reilly is estimated to have received €50 million in dividend income and salary since 2000. In 2000, for example, he received €390,000 as non-executive chairman, plus €25,000 in fees.
"As executive chairman he received €876,000 in 2001 and again in 2002. The Irish Executive Council fully supports the stand taken by our colleague unions at Independent House. In the event of an application for an all-out picket to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions I, as Irish Secretary, am authorised to seek the support of NUJ members for such action."
Mr Dooley said Sir Anthony O'Reilly and his board had taken a decision to "tear up" collective agreements, to ignore the Labour Relations Commission, the Labour Court and the National Implementation Body in order to "force through" 205 redundancies.
"We have had O'Reilly lectures, funds, halls, balls and banquets. Could we now have an O'Reilly promise - that agreements solemnly and freely entered into by Independent News and Media will be fully honoured and that his Board will accept their obligations as an employer who has benefited from Social Partnership?" he added.
Mr Dooley acknowledged NUJ agreements are not under threat from the current restructuring proposals but said the union took no comfort from assurances from local management that the existing agreement would be fully honoured.
Independent Newspapers has told employees a voluntary redundancy package, worth a total of €23 million, will only be available until May 21st. If the requisite number of staff does not accept the package by that date, they will face compulsory redundancy.
Employees who are members of two branches of SIPTU, the TEEU and the Irish Print Group of unions are affected by the redundancy programme. Around 175 have already signed up for the package and more were signing up each day, the company said.
A spokesman for Independent Newspapers told ireland.comthat it had provided a very generous redundancy package which had now been accepted by the vast majority of staff. It had made clear within the past two to three weeks that the package would not be sustainable on an indefinite basis and it would be withdrawn from May 21st.
He said there had been "extensive consultation" with the unions involved. Workers are entitled to packages ranging from €40,000 where they have short service with the company to as much as €260,000 for those with longer service, the spokesman said.