Union joins SIPTU in calling on Initial management to support redundant workers

Unite confirms all its members seeking to retain their employment retained

June 30th: Unite Officer, Blaine Kilgallon, who has lead responsibility for the union’s membership at Initial in Belfast called on the company to take responsibility for providing training to workers made redundant by the closure of operations on the Springfield Road.

“The closure of the facility on the Springfield Road has resulted in twenty-four employees being made redundant. Initial has attempted to justify the closure by claiming that the site was no longer financially viable and has now outsourced work to its site at Birmingham.

“Unite has engaged with our members and consulted with the company and local political representatives to explore and exhaust every avenue to prevent the closure of the site. Unfortunately, the company has been resistant to these efforts and, indeed, barred us from the site in an attempt to prevent Unite effectively representing our members.

“We understand that all Unite members who were initially threatened with compulsory redundancy due to the closure will continue in employment at Initial’s other Belfast base in Duncrue Street. This is a positive result, and coming on the back of this success, we will seek formal collective bargaining recognition for retained workers in near future.

“For those that have been made redundant Unite, in conjunction with SIPTU who also have members with the company, calls on management at Initial to provide training and resources to help the affected workers into alternative employment”, Mr Kilgallon concluded.