2 May 2012
Vita Cortex victory
‘Factory and workplace sit-ins will become a regular feature of Irish life if the Government does not introduce a mechanism to protect workers’ – Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O'Brien
THE SECURING of a new redundancy deal by the Vita Cortex workers in Cork this evening is a testament to their determination to fight for their rights, Cork Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien says.
Today is the 139th day of the sit-in and it may last another fortnight or so until the deal is delivered upon, the workers say.
The staff were calling for the payment of an additional 0.9 weeks pay per year of service on top of their statutory entitlements from the state but owner Jack Ronan claimed the company did not have the funds to meet the workers’ call.
This week, Ronan contacted the trade union SIPTU and a new offer was made and accepted. It is the subject of a confidentiality agreement.
SIPTU’s Gerry McCormack said:
“The workers are satisfied that these proposals, which were agreed following direct talks between SIPTU representatives and the owners of Vita Cortex earlier today in Cork, provide the basis for the full and final settlement of this dispute.”
He added:
“The workers are very pleased that after four months campaigning to secure equitable and fair redundancy payments, which takes account of their long years of service at Vita Cortex, they can now return to their normal lives satisfied they achieved their objective.”
SIPTU Organiser Anne Egar said:
“These workers have shown massive commitment and resolve during this dispute. Their perseverance has been an example to others in similar situations in Ireland and beyond. It has been an honour for me to represent them.”
While Taoiseach Enda Kenny praised the workers for their “enormous dignity and fortitude”, Cork North Central TD Jonathan O’Brien (Sinn Féin) said:
“It’s quite obvious that this dispute should never have happened in the first place and the Government should have ensured that workers would not be left in a situation where they have to occupy a workplace for 139 days in order to secure an ex-gratia payment which they were promised.
“It highlights that the current legislation is completely inadequate. It left workers, including those with decades of experience and loyalty to the same company, to fend for themselves while the political establishment were unable to intervene to resolve the situation. Even those who wished to help could not do anything aside from give words of encouragement and moral support.
“This victory is a victory for the workers. There is an onus on the Government to ensure that this never happens again. Another Vita Cortex-style dispute will arise if appropriate legislation is not introduced. Factory and workplace sit-ins will become a regular feature of Irish life if the Government does not introduce a mechanism to protect workers.”
The Vita Cortex workers secured widespread support not just in Cork and across Ireland but also internationally through a vigorous social media campaign. The occupation won the backing of high-profile public figures such as Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, Noam Chomsky, Christy Moore, Mary Robinson, Cillian Murphy and Paul McGrath.