With 77 jobs on the line at local food company Hilton Foods, Labour TD Ged Nash has said that the company must explore alternatives to job losses as it seeks to restructure its business.
Deputy Nash said he had been contacted by anxious workers and their families after the food production business announced its plans to engage in a consultation process on potential redundancies at the Drogheda facility.
“The company will have to notify the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise of its plans and engage in a thirty-day formal consultation process with workers and their union” he said.
“This cannot be a token exercise and the engagement with staff must be open, transparent and meaningful. All the cards must be on the table.
“The company is obliged to fully explore where cost savings outside of mass redundancies can be made before they conclude this process and they also have an obligation to work with employees to identify alternative roles within the organisation.
“The potential loss of 77 jobs in the area when families are struggling with the ever-rising cost of living is an appalling vista.
“There is an onus now on the Tanaiste and the enterprise agencies to do all they can to support these jobs and to do everything within their power to avoid such large-scale redundancies at the Drogheda operation.”
