This article is from page 16 of the 2007-03-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
SIPTU representatives at Shannon Aerospace Ltd have reacted angrily to suggestions in a national news- paper that they have resisted efforts aimed at bringing about efficiencies in the company.
In a statement, union representa- tives said that the union and it’s mem- bers in SAL “accept we are in a com- petitive business. With this in mind those members have always worked for greater efficiency in the past and
towards the future through the pres- ently sought LEAN manufacturing structure in the organisation. This LEAN structure has been highlight- ed by management as the future of SAL and is in no way being resisted by SIPTU. On the contrary, union representatives have participated at the highest levels that the company permitted, in the design and model- ling of the proposed system.”
In a published interview last week, SAL’s managing director, Martin Kaiser, 1s quoted as saying that the
future of the company could be at risk, putting a question mark over the jobs of 700 people employed there.
In a statement on behalf of the company, a spokeswoman said that it recognised that SAL was “facing a most difficult situation in Shan- non and this can only be resolved by management and employees working together. We are keen to do that and are actively involved with SIPTU in this process.”
The SIPTU statement said that union representatives had engaged
with management over pay and costs since October 2006. It continued that, “Martin Kaiser MD is quoted as stating that agreements currently in place ‘may have been right 15 years ago…’ The agreement present- ly in existence was negotiated by the present management team headed by Mr Kaiser in SAL, as recently as Oc- tober 2002.”
Union members at the Shannon air- line servicing company voted for in- dustrial action in Aug 2006 in pursu- ance of the final two phases of the SP
National Wage Agreement, due since May 2005. These phases were paid when the members accepted changes to rostering guidelines. “While the pay increase thus achieved by agree- ment and brokered by LRC, applied to all staff at Shannon Aerospace, only the SIPTU members gave up anything in return,’ the statement said.
Councillor Madeleine Taylor-Quinn has urged all parties to engage “in meaningful negotiations which will preserve the jobs at Shannon.”