SIPTU confident of return to full time work at Pauwels
by Michael Cryan Updated: Wednesday, 6th July, 2011 5:30pm
SIPTU, which represents 425 members at CG Power Systems Limited, on the Dublin Road, is confident that their members will be back in full-time employment at the plant by the end of September.
A new three-day week came into effect yesterday (Tuesday) which affected 500 staff but SIPTU believes it is only a temporary measure. The company informed the union that the Cavan plant was the flagship factory for Europe and they were confident of obtaining new markets to strengthen their base.
CG Power Systems were committed to Cavan and if there was an upturn in sales then staff could be back in full-time employment before September, it claimed.
At a specially convened meeting in the Hotel Kilmore on Saturday afternoon over 200 SIPTU members were informed that the union would be keeping pressure on the company to ensure a return to full-time work. Denis Sheridan of SIPTU told the gathering that meetings had taken place between the union and management.
The union informed the company that they were opposed to the three-day week and wanted a return to full-time employment. The company however, outlined the reasons behind the three day week.
"We have been guaranteed that the position will be reviewed on a weekly basis," said Mr. Sheridan. The company has assured the union that this was only a short term measure and they were anxious to get the company back on full time employment as well.
The union has met the vice-president and CEO of the company globally and they re-iterated that it was only a short term measure. The company would be doing everything in its power to rectify the position at local and international level, the SIPTU representative claimed.
The message coming out from all the meetings with management were very positive and SIPTU was confident that the members would be back on a five day a week as soon as possible. There was a feeling of shock following the announcement as the company has never been in this position before.
A lot of issues were raised during the course of the meeting including if their jobs would be retained in Cavan and what members entitlement were by going on a three-day week.
"We were able to give them answers with regard to the majority of questions raised", stated the SIPTU official.
Some members were annoyed with the union in that they were not informed of the situation at the plant and some only heard about it on radio and others didn't find out until the following day.
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