Bacon plant protesters face High Court proceedings
Nine former factory workers are facing High Court proceedings aimed at ending their three-week sit-in at a Cork bacon factory, and also restraining pickets outside the factory owner's home.
The workers claim they have been denied a proper redundancy package but Mr Justice Esmond Smyth was told yesterday that claim is being denied by their former employer, Mr Joe McSweeney, owner of McSweeney Bacon Curers Ltd, Blackpool, Cork.
The company has initiated proceedings to restrain both the occupation of the factory and protests outside Mr McSweeney's home at Calderwood Court, Donnybrook.
Dr John O'Mahony SC, for the company, said the workers had been paid all of their statutory entitlements and they had no legal basis for their possession of the premises. A legal wrong had been committed and was continuing, he said.
Counsel said his solicitor had spoken yesterday with the men, who were not legally represented, but ``no peace'' had been achieved. In those circumstances, he was contending his client was entitled to an injunction restraining trespass.
Mr Justice Smyth said he had insufficient time yesterday to deal with the matter and believed a hearing would require some time. He adjourned the case for hearing to tomorrow.
Two of the defendants, Mr Timothy Cotter and Mr Robert (Roy) O'Donovan, accompanied by Labour Party TD for Cork, Kathleen Lynch, were in court for the brief mention of the case.
The proceedings arise after the McSweeney company went into liquidation last July with the loss of some 20 jobs. The nine workers, one of whom - Mr John Kelleher - is a brother in law of Mr McSweeney, have been protesting over redundancy terms since and have appealed to Mr McSweeney to engage in talks with them. That call was supported last week by Cork City Council.
The factory premises is expected to be developed for residential and commerical purposes and the workers claim they are entitled to a portion of that ``substantial financial windfall''.
