A strike involving five Kerry Agribusiness drivers and representatives from SIPTU at Kerry Group headquarters in Tralee has entered a second day.
The drivers, who have given between 29 and 45 years service, said that the industrial action centres on the company’s decision to impose compulsory redundancies on them.
There are 100 SIPTU members in Kerry Agribusiness, which is part of Kerry Group plc.
The drivers were joined on the picket line today (Thursday, January 18) by Greg Ennis, the incoming deputy general secretary of SIPTU.
He told Agriland that he travelled to Kerry as “a show of solidarity to our members”.
“These are five members who have given their working life to the Kerry Group, five excellent employees who have been treated despicably by this company.
“We have a situation now, and admitted by Kerry Group yesterday, that they have basically thrown these workers out on the road, compulsorily redundant on December 31, without agreement.
“That is no way to treat workers, be it one year’s service or in some cases, as it is here, 45 years’ service,” he said.
Ennis said that the union has not heard anything from the company in relation to the dispute.
“We will talk to all our members right across the Kerry Group about how these workers are being treated because if this is the way that Kerry Group wants to proceed in treating its workers, well SIPTU will have to defend all of its workers accordingly.
“The workers and this union, who will be 100% behind them, will stay here as along as it takes until we get an engagement with the company which results in bringing about the re-employment of our five members.
“The work is still there to be done. What has happened here is simply the employer has outsourced the work to independent hauliers. That’s never going to be acceptable to us,” he said.
Kerry Agribusiness
SIPTU and the drivers have reiterated their willingness to re-engage in talks with the company in a bid to resolve the dispute.
“I’ve been involved in many disputes over the years and all disputes are resolved eventually. We remain available, the employer knows that.
“I think it is beneath contempt what they’re doing to these workers.
“I think the employer must come forward and engage with SIPTU and we need to engage on the basis that we can get our members back to the workplace and resolve whatever issues lie between us thereafter,” Ennis said.
Kerry Agribusiness previously said that following a comprehensive review of its milk collection procedures in 2023, it made the decision to transition all remaining milk collection operations to its existing independent hauliers.
“Subsequently, Kerry Agribusiness entered a transparent redundancy consultation period and began detailed discussions with the six remaining drivers in November 2023.
“The employment of these drivers terminated on December 31, 2023, without mutual agreement between the parties involved,” the company said.
Agriland has contacted Kerry Group today for further comment.