Union demands that company honour agreement pending LRC engagement

June 28th: Trade union Unite today announced that its members at the Bulmers brewery in Clonmel have voted unanimously for industrial action, up to and including strike action, following the company’s decision to renege on the terms of a 2009 collective agreement regarding redundancy terms.

Explaining the background to the dispute, Unite Regional Officer Tony Kelly said:

“Despite an unambiguous agreement concluded in 2009 between Bulmers and the unions, the company has now made one of our members redundant on terms which will amount to around half of what was agreed.

“Inexplicably, the company has informed the workers represented by Unite that they are not covered by the 2009 agreement.

“While this dispute only affects the managerial grades represented by Unite, I would like to thank the other unions representing workers in Bulmers for their support.

“Following a unanimous vote by Unite members for industrial action, it is in the company’s interests to continue honouring the 2009 agreement which was negotiated under the auspices of the LRC, pending engagement under the same auspices”, Mr Kelly concluded.