Workers at Carroll's Cuisine who are members of trade union SIPTU will hold two work stoppages later this month.

Members of SIPTU - the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union - at the consumer foods plant in Tullamore, Co. Offaly will commence the campaign of industrial action with two 12-hour work stoppages on Sunday, November 16 and Monday, November 17.

Both work stoppages will commence at 7.00a.m that day.

SIPTU members will place pickets on all entrances to the Tullamore plant for the duration of the work stoppages.

The trade union members had been due to implement work stoppages on Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1. These actions were suspended to allow for talks.

SIPTU claimed that the latest decision follows "management’s withdrawal from talks concerning pay and conditions at the meat processing plant".

Neil McGowan, SIPTU manufacturing divisional organiser, said: “Workers in Carroll’s Cuisine voted last month in favour of industrial and strike action but suspended planned action to allow for talks.

“Union representatives met with management on Friday, October 31. At this meeting SIPTU representatives outlined a proposal based on ensuring financial stability at the company but also including pay improvements for workers and union recognition for the purposes of collective bargaining," McGowan added.

He claimed: "Management asked for time to consider this proposal. Earlier this week, management informed the union that it would not be prepared to engage any further on the outstanding matters. It is clear that management has chosen conflict with its workforce rather than compromise and agree a fair, negotiated settlement.”

According to McGowan, the dispute "fundamentally stems from a failure by the company to respect workers’ right to collectively bargain through their union".

"Ireland remains an outlier in western Europe in terms of collective bargaining rights. Working people, like those in Carroll’s, should not be left with no other option than taking industrial action to secure fair pay and union recognition," the SIPTU organiser said.