Workers protest at joinery firm

Workers picketed the offices of a joinery firm today over its alleged failure to implement a Labour Court recommendation on severance pay.

Members of Siptu and the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) protested outside Carroll’s Joinery in Co Dublin and Co Tipperary claiming the company has not paid 50 workers the four weeks severance per year of service they are entitled to.

The company, which manufactures doors, windows and other joinery products, closed its plant at Ballingarry on the Tipperary-Kilkenny border on July 17th.

The dispute relates to the 50 workers made redundant at Ballingarry, many of which had over 25 years service with the company.

Siptu branch organiser Paul Gavan said the staff helped the company make millions of euro during the celtic tiger era and that it had produced no evidence to suggest it could not pay out the terms agreed at the Labour Court.

Mr Gavan said union members have been protesting about the matter for weeks and that up until two months ago the company had been “happy to pay five weeks per year of service.”

“They’ve gone into their shell and are hiding,” he said.

Carroll’s Joinery said it had no comment to make on the matter at present.