DAIRYGOLD SEEKS 40 REDUNDANCIES
Dairygold is looking for up to 40 more redundancies at sites in this region. It is understood that the company is looking for early retirement and voluntary redundancies from the Dairygold top yard in Mitchelstown, at Dairygold Barrack Hill in Fermoy and at the Mitchelstown powder factory.
“As part of an overall 2010 workforce review, Dairygold Co-op has asked staff who might wish to seek voluntary redundancy or early retirement from the business to indicate their interest, for consideration. It is anticipated that the option of early retirement or voluntary redundancy might likely give rise to about 30 people or so, exiting voluntarily from the co-op’s 1,000 strong workforce as part of an overall efficiency and cost saving programme,” a spokesperson for Dairygold told The Avondhu.
One employee, who does not wish to be named, spoke of his disappointment at the company’s announcement this week.
“We were told that the company needed another 40 redundancies and that there was a cap of one and a half years salary on the redundancy payment, this includes statutory entitlements. A lot of people have been with Dairygold for almost 30 years and it’s very sad that this is what it has come to,” the Dairygold employee told The Avondhu.
This announcement follows another recent blow to Mitchelstown and Fermoy when over 30 jobs were lost with the closure of the 4HomeStores in the towns.
“This is another blow to the people of Mitchelstown and Fermoy, it’s a disgrace that the once powerful brand that was Dairygold has been reduced to a shadow of its former glory,” Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe told The Avondhu. One Dairygold shareholder is sorry that there needs to be redundancies but feels the rationalisation of the company must be pushed forward if the dairy industry in Ireland is to survive.
“For Ireland to compete in the dairy industry on a European and global scale we have to be more efficient and cut cost. This means more automation and working closely with the other producers like Glanbia and the Kerry Group,” the shareholder told The Avondhu.
Labour TD Sean Sherlock is not happy with the way Dairygold has treated its employees in the past, “I don’t understand why Dairygold are seeking redundancies when there is a clear need for an increase in food production going into the future. I would call on the company to ensure that more jobs are safe for the future.
"Also Dairygold have not treated their employees well when it came to redundancy payments in the past and I am calling for the company to treat their employees with some sense of decency,” Deputy Sherlock said.
Published:
Thursday 19th November 6:39pm
