SIPTU representatives, along with their colleagues from Unite, attended talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Friday concerning the dispute at the Cadbury production plant in Coolock.
The outcome of the talks was not known at the time of going to press. Workers at the plant began strike action last Thursday.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, John Dunne, said: “Our union representatives have decided to attend these talks in the hope that a resolution can be found to this dispute.
“The dispute at the Cadbury’s production plant, which is owned and operated by Mondelez Ireland, follows an announcement by management to unilaterally outsource the jobs of 17 directly employed store workers.”
In a statement made to Northside People, issued before the outcome of these talks were known, Mondelez Ireland said: “In line with many other manufacturing businesses in Ireland, both the Coolock and Rathmore chocolate manufacturing sites are under intense pressures from international competition.
“In February 2015, Mondelez Ireland presented proposals to our employees in Ireland to restructure our chocolate manufacturing business, with the aim of streamlining it to become more sustainable and competitive for the future.
“These proposals included a €11.7 million investment in new chocolate making technology to enable our Coolock plant to concentrate on core chocolate brands for consumption in Ireland and the export market.”
A spokeswoman for Mondelez Ireland said that at the conclusion of a comprehensive and “largely positive” consultation and negotiation process, a number of issues remained unresolved and were therefore referred to the Labour Court as part of an agreed industrial relations process.
The Labour Court recommendation was issued in November 2015 and Mondelez Ireland confirmed that it will accept the outcome.
“Unfortunately, both SIPTU and UNITE Unions have voted to reject the Labour Court recommendation. “A decision has now been made by both unions to withdraw labour from the Coolock site from 7am on Thursday, March 3.
“This action is being taken in protest at the planned future outsourcing of a small number of non-core roles at some point in the future.”
“The company deeply regrets that SIPTU and UNITE have decided to take this step. Any form of industrial action only further undermines the future viability of both the Coolock and Rathmore manufacturing sites and this action ultimately endangers the jobs of circa 700 people who are employed within the business.”
The spokeswoman added that the management team remains available to meet again with the SIPTU and UNITE representatives to attempt to find ways to resolve the dispute.
Newly elected TD for Dublin Bay North, Denise Mitchell (SF), who was among those who offered support to the workers on the picket line, said: “I’m calling on management at the plant to sit down with the unions UNITE and SIPTU and discuss the alternative proposals put forward by the unions to achieve efficiency.”