Last Friday, the Queally owned company, QK Meats, told 90 staff it was ceasing production at their section.
SIPTU, which represents the workers, said there have been some offers of redeployment within the wider Queally group, but believes the oppo
rtunities are limited.
In a statment on 28 January, the company said that following a strategic review of its operations in Ireland and at the conclusion of a 30-day consultation period with staff representatives, QK Meats Ltd would reduce the throughput in its boning hall in 2010 "as part of a necessary change in strategic direction for the company."
There have been rumours about a possible further 150 job losses but a QK spokesperson said the company regrets the need for this course of action but was "satisfied that the action taken now will ensure the viability of the remaining operations and jobs into the future."
Spokesperson, Declan Doyle, confirmed to the Leader that there were 147 full-time jobs at QK before the 90 cut, and that the balance would remain.
The company is one of large number owned by the Arrow Group Limited and the Queally groups are said to employ between 5,000 and 6,000 staff.
At the weekend, a small group of Brazilian staff told the Leader they would like to stay in Ireland but after eight years here, the statutory two weeks salary per week of service and other costs means they will have little enough to sustain them here as they try and find work and maintain some savings.
Conditions for them were better in their first five years here but became harder in the past two years and they were on short-term last year, they said.
Rising living costs and lower income has cut the savings for the group who range in age from 28 to 40.
The redundancy payments will amount to between E5,500 and E9,000 per worker.
Based on an average of around E7,000, the net cost to the company of the 90 job cuts will be around E250,000 after a 60 per cent rebate from the State is given to the company.
Part of the reason for the relatively low redundancy payment is that the staff have been on short time for the last year, earning between E19,000 and E30,000, and the payment is based on recent earnings.
Most of the group we spoke to on Saturday - they preferred not to be named - have been in Ireland for around eight years and would like to stay if possible. But there are fears that could be difficult for them as the redundancies have come just before they would qualify for a higher residency status.
Skilled workers in the boning sector, they were recruited from Brazil around 2003 to work in the factory which is located in The Maudlings.
SIPTU said it has been told by its members that the company had sought pay-cuts in the order of 50 per cent.
"The workers quite literally couldn't afford such savage cuts and have refused to accept the company's unjustifiable demands," SIPTU official, Adrian Kane, said.
"The union has sought recognition at the plant over a considerable period. The company, regrettably, has refused all reasonable attempts by SIPTU to engage in negotiations over pay and conditions of employment.
"It has also refused to implement a Labour Court recommendation which provided for basic pension and sick pay cover and overtime rates in
line with industry norms," he said.
