Workers to return to Tara Mines at end of month

The long-awaited return to work at Tara Mines will begin on 28th June, it was confirmed at a meeting between the Group of Unions and Management last week.

Employees will be receiving letters identifying the date of their return to the plant and a minimum of one month’s notice will be provided to all those returning to work, no later than weeks from the June date, so all workers should be back by late September/October.

The mine shut last July with 650 workers temporarily laid off after what the company said were “significant and unsustainable financial losses” amid soaring energy prices and falling zinc prices globally.

The workers will be returning in groups of 30 per week. On return they will be assigned a shift pattern following induction training.

There will be no short time working and it is expected there will be very little, if any, redeployment needed, but this is subject to the Voluntary Severence Scheme.

The company expects the mine to be in full production by the start of 2025.

“Workers will be getting notices of call backs with times, dates and their jobs,” said SIPTU’s John Regan.

“Some training will be required, familiarisation with the mine and medicals will also be required,” he said.

The decision to return to production at Tara Mines was finalised when staff accepted a deal thrashed out at the WRC in April, which included a voluntary redundancy scheme which saw headcount reduce by 170 workers.