Miners to vote on compromise deal to save 670 jobs next week

A compromise deal on cost-cutting proposals at Tara Mines is expected to be put before workers at a general meeting of the SIPTU union in Navan on Saturday afternoon. Intensive negotiations are continuing this week in a last-ditch bid to save the 670 jobs under threat at the giant lead and zinc mine, as it emerged that up to 2,000 service jobs which depend on the continuing operation of the facility could also be placed in jeopardy should the facility be closed and palce on a care and maintenance basis. Management have given the workers until 19th January - next Monday - to accept cost-cutting proposals or face the prospect of redundancy. A document from the talks facilitator, Janet Hughes, will be put to workers at this weekend"s meeting and balloting is expected to take place early next week. The mine"s 670 workers were placed on protective notice on Monday of last week in a dispute over cost-cutting and efficiency measures at the Navan mine. SIPTU branch secretary, John Regan, said there had been an exchange of views at the table during talks which got underway last week, but that the real negotiations would begin today (Wednesday). He said that while union representatives had a number of meetings with the facilitator, they were unaware of what the document she is due to present to union officials on Friday is expected to contain. He said there would be a shop stewards" meeting on Friday afternoon in advance of the general meeting on Saturday which will take place in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, at 4.30pm. Mr Regan said the mood among the workforce was still one of disappointment and a certain amount of anger and it was hard to read what their decision would be. Sources within the company said that some progress was being made. Appeals have been made to both management and staff at Tara to reach a compromise as the spectre of massive job losses looms over Navan. It is estimated that, for every job at the Tara, there are three others depending on the ongoing operation of the mine. These include catering staff, train drivers, office cleaners, explosive suppliers and employees of companies supplying cement and concrete products to the mine. The Swedish owner of Tara Mines, Boliden, introduced a cost-cutting proposal late last year which included a change in shift patterns and cuts in overtime payments. The company says the proposals are as a result of a dramatic drop in the price of zinc, along with the weakening of the US dollar, the currency in which metals are traded. The workers rejected the plans and put forward their own proposals which were, in turn, rejected by Boliden. The delicate industrial relations situation at Tara Mines was discussed briefly at a meeting of Meath County Council on Monday. The subject was raisded by Cllr Phil Cantwell who said that he wanted to wish the workers" representatives well this week. He said a dispute at the mine would have a serious impact on the county and he hoped that a solution would be found to the problems at the company. The situation had implications not only for the direct workforce themselves, but for the pensions and pensioners, he added. Council cathaoirleach Liz McCormack said that since the issuing of protective notice to the workforce last week, there had been intensive negotiations which were now at a very delicate and crucial stage and she felt that it would be better if she did not make any further comment. She hoped that both sides could come to an agreement which would end the uncertainty over the future of the Navan mine. Meath County Manager Tom Dowling said that, obviously, Tara Mines was very important to Navan and the county in general.