Employment problems deepened in the jobs blackspot of north Tipperary yesterday as over 50 workers were told they had lost their jobs.
Workers at the manufacturing company Tubex Ltd were told that 55 jobs would be shed immediately. The job losses come as unemployment levels in north Tipperary hit twice the national average.
Central Statistics Office figures show the overall increase in jobless figures recorded for north Tipperary as 19.8 per cent, compared to a national figure of 8.3 per cent for the year ending in June.
Tubex, which manufactures collapsible tube containers for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries at two plants in Nenagh and Portroe, announced the job cuts at a meeting held at 4.30 p.m. yesterday in Portroe.
Workers confirmed that, at the meeting with management lasting over 20 minutes, they were told 55 jobs would be shed with the closure of the Tubex Portroe facility. The 21 posts at its Nenagh manufacturing plant would remain.
In a statement, the Tubex Ltd managing director, Mr Brian P Smyth, said it was with "great regret" that the company announced "the closure of its Portroe facility and the loss of 55 jobs after 25 years of continued employment in that area".
"The decision was taken in the light of the rejection by the SIPTU membership last month of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) conciliation proposal which was described by the LRC as 'the best possible deal that can be achieved'," added Mr Smyth.
"The key element of the proposal was work practice flexibility which the company needed to succeed in a competitive, international environment. The rejected conciliation proposal could have secured 55 jobs at Tubex's two facilities," said Mr Smyth.
"The company is returning to the LRC with SIPTU to see if a rationalisation plan to save 20 jobs in the company's Gortlandroe facility can be agreed. The company employs 30 people at this facility," Mr Smyth said.
In mid-June, a rescue package - put together at talks between SIPTU, management and IBEC at the Labour Relations Commission - mooted 28 redundancies and more flexible work practices.
The package was rejected by a small majority of workers after a meeting at the plant. Nenagh SIPTU branch secretary Mr Martin Meere said his union, which represents the majority of workers at the plant, was disappointed with the company's decision to cut jobs.
Workers were devastated with the announcement.