Five Kerry Agribusiness drivers and representatives from SIPTU have today (Wednesday, January 17) commenced strike action at Kerry Group headquarters in Tralee.
The drivers 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 say the strike, which began at 9:00a.m and will run until this evening, will continue until the matter is resolved.
Donie Foley has been driving milk trucks for Kerry Agribusiness for around three decades.
“We’re here with drivers that have from 29 to 45 years service with the company and its the first time they are forcing compulsory redundancy on us. It was always on a voluntary basis in the past,” he told Agriland.
“What we’re hoping to achieve is get our jobs back or even get into discussions with the company.
“We’ve had two meetings, they said we had a 30-day consultation period but it was only two days on November 3 and November 9 and the company haven’t met with us since,” the driver added.
Picket line
Foley said that he and the other drivers are prepared to remain on the picket line for as long as it takes despite the freezing weather conditions.
“We’re used to the outdoors. We’re here for the long haul. We’re here to get results and to get fair play and justice for the men that are driving these trucks that have been out from early morning until late evenings.
“We’ve actually a lot of hours put into this company over the years of service.
“The strike of course is our last straw. We’ve done our best. SIPTU have done their best to try to get into meetings and the company are saying they’ve no more to talk about, that this is their action and that’s that,” he said.
Foley said that the drivers would be hopeful that Kerry Agribusiness would return to talks on the matter.
“We’re here for discussions and for talks. We’re reasonable people, we’re not doing anything underhanded. They know what it’s all about and we know what it’s all about also,” he said.
SIPTU Industrial Organiser Sharon Ryan joined the drivers on the picket line today.
“Our members have been treated unfairly as they’ve been given compulsory redundancies. Our members have service of 29 to 45 years, they’ve given a lifetime to the company.
“We feel that compulsory redundancies is unjust, the work is still there. We urge the company to reverse their decision on these compulsory redundancies.
“We’ve a very good relationship and built up a relationship over decades with Kerry Agribusiness and we wish that to continue.
“Unfortunately this was the last straw, we had no option but to ballot these members for industrial action,” she said.
Ryan added that the drivers are prepared to remain on the picket line “for the foreseeable future”.
Kerry Agribusiness
In a statement issued last evening, Kerry Agribusiness 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.