Creamery workers threaten strike over alleged harassment
Union bosses today served strike notice on the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association in Limerick over claims of bullying and harassment.
Ger Kennedy, SIPTU branch secretary, claimed management at the country’s second largest farming group had failed to address the poor treatment of workers.
Mr Kennedy said ICMSA bosses had offered one employee redundancy without the approval of the group’s national council. And he called on the union’s 10 members at the west of Ireland depot to walk out.
“The dispute is about the unacceptable treatment of employees by management and a generally poor working environment which has led to intolerable working conditions with serious implications for health and safety,” he said.
“Management of the ICMSA have failed to address allegations of bullying and harassment as well as an attempt to dismiss one of our members, contrary to our procedural agreement with them.”
Mr Kennedy said the matter has been before the Labour Court with third party adjudication but no progress had been made. And he claimed ICMSA management had reneged on a private agreement made during negotiations at the Labour Court.
“It is extremely unfortunate that matters have deteriorated to the point where our members felt they had no alternative but to serve strike notice,” he said.
“But we have been through every third party under the sun in terms of industrial relations and nobody has been in a position to reconcile the situation. The staff here are at the end of their tether.”
The stoppage is due to take place next Tuesday with pickets placed on the ICMSA head office in Limerick.
