Donegal Meats jobs cuts

DONEGAL MEATS is to axe 20 jobs, blaming the losses on the economic climate and the failure of discussions with SIPTU to agree to a 20% wage cut at its Carrigans plant.
SIPTU union reps say staff earn just above the minimum wage and there is no scope for wage cuts. There is also no sickness or pension scheme.
The plant employs 206 people and is owned by Foyle Foods which also has operations in Derry city and Omagh.
SIPTU organiser Martin O’Rourke said he was disappointed that an application to Enterprise Ireland’s Stabilisation Fund had not come to fruition.

Aras Gweedore talks plea by union

SIPTU has appealed to the Health Service Executive for talks to avoid further industrial action after a 48-hour strike at the weekend by carers and domestic staff at the Aras Gweedore Nursing Home seeking pay parity with colleagues in the HSE.
Staff at the Aras Gweedore Nursing Home are employed by a private company.
The action had been deferred by the union to give the private company time to engage in talks.

Victorious MTL Dublin dockers say thanks

AS we reported in last week’s An Phoblacht, the 110-day strike by Dublin Port dockers has ended after MTL accepted the Labour Court recommendation for a solution. And the dockers have praised the support they received from the communities of East Wall and Ringsend, trade unions across the globe and political parties, including an energetic input by Sinn Féin, particularly Dublin Sinn Féin.
In a message on the dockers’ campaign website (http://www.mtldockers.com) and circulated to supporters, the victorious strikers said they couldn’t have won without the widespread support over a long dispute.
“The workers have asked that their sincere gratitude be expressed to everybody for their support and that they know they couldn’t have done it without you.
“Go raibh mile maith agaibh!”