Kyte workers to take strike action

Over 420 workers work at the Kyte manufacturing plant in Cavan Town.

SIPTU members employed by Kyte Powertech in Cavan Town will begin a campaign of strike and industrial action commencing midnight on Friday, August 19.

The action is being take in relation to a pay dispute between workers and management, with a 24 -hour work stoppage planned.

Over 420 workers work at the Kyte manufacturing plant which was first established in Cavan Ireland in 1977. The company supplies a large and diverse range of Distribution Transformer products and services.

SIPTU Organiser, Martin O'Rourke, said union members had “reluctantly” voted in favour of strike action “only after pursuing every other avenue open to them in their efforts to secure a pay increase that protects their standard of living and purchasing power.

“As with workers across the economy, they face a cost of living crisis resulting from an inflation rate which is the highest in a generation and soaring costs for other essential services.”

He says that the workers are seeking to “reach a reasonable pay agreement” that recognises the “sacrifices” they’ve made over recent years to ensure the continued success of this plant. “The campaign of industrial action will begin with a 24 hour strike and an overtime ban.”

It follows intensive negotiations involving SIPTU representatives and management at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). However, these did not result in the WRC being in a position to issue a proposal to resolve the dispute.

Mr O’Rourke added: “SIPTU organisers and shop stewards are available to reconvene discussions and believe that agreement can easily be achieved that adequately recognises the efforts of these workers and is in line with commitments previously made by management.”