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Dublin: 8 °C Wednesday 22 May, 2013

Vita Cortex dispute escalates as workers barricade site

The workers are on the 106th day of their protest at the Cork factory and say they are frustrated with the lack of progress from negotiations.

Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

THE VITA CORTEX dispute has escalated after protesting workers locked the gates of the site, blocking access to another business owned by Vita Cortex boss Jack Ronan.

Workers say they had allowed VitaClean, the other business on the site, to operate as the dispute has wore on, but felt compelled to act over the stalemate in the ongoing negotiations.

Workers are on the 106th day of their protest at the plant in a dispute over redundancy payments.

“Due to immense frustration at the lack of reasonable progress from various negotiations and contacts with the company owners, the workers have been left with no other choice but to take this action,” the workers said in a statement this evening.

A number of VitaClean trucks have already been stopped from entering the site today, the workers said.

The former employees are now awaiting communication from SIPTU, the main union involved in the negotiations.

The workers are due to meet with boxing champion Katie Taylor later this evening. Taylor is the latest in a long line of  high profile figures who have pledged support to the workers, including Alex Ferguson, Paul McGrath and Cillian Murphy.

Katie Taylor to meet Vita Cortex workers >

“We have to make a stand”: Game staff to meet with PwC today >

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Comments (20 Comments)

  • Credit where its due for leaving the gates open this long. Time go take the gloves off and fight anyway you can to get what you’re due. Keep her lit V32.

    Reply
  • Fair play. Brave souls fighting to defend all of our rights. Just like the La Senza, Laganbricks, GAME and other abused workers across the country.

    Reply
  • Well done vita cortex workers ,you have been open to good faith talks with these directors for 106 days now and they have done nothing but try to further abuse you by using the labour relations process as a bargaining chip to quash their debts with Nama,Vita clean employees will see how loyal their employer is now aswel because he can end this mess tomorrow if he chooses,though I’m sure seeing his treatment of the vita 32 the last few months has them questioning the security of their own redundancy.we support you all the way for fighting to keep the Irish reputation of moral and honest business practice alive here and abroad,

    Reply
  • Well done Vita Cortex workers you are a great example and inspiration to all workers.

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  • I’d say Elaine 8000 supporters on Facebook,3000 on twitter ,yeah educated people do in fact care that Irish workers are not abused through the manipulation of company law .If you on the other hand don’t care to join the fight to uphold moral business practice in Ireland don’t criticize others for giving a damn.If something is so annoying why read it and make nasty comments about it find something better to do with your time.And I’m sure these people’s families care a whole lot about their family members being abused after a lifetime of work so have some respect at least if you have nothing positive to contribute,unbelievable.

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  • Well done Elaine. Hope you are nice and secure in your own little bubble and that you never need to count on the support of others. As is being shown with the workers in Game we have to stand up together against bullyboy tactics.

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  • This is another reason why the Irish people should march tomorrow….We have to show solidarity with the Vita Cortex workers and all the others who have been treated the same way by employers recently.
    Stay strong don’t lose heart and keep up the fight.

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    • What has the household charge protest got to do with vita cortex ?

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    • The march is not just about the household charge……It’s about all kinds of austerity and cutbacks heaped on the Irish people including the workers of Vita Cortex,GAME,La Stenza and lies that goverment told to get into power.
      It’s about scaring old Grannies and Granddads into paying a tax by saying “we are sending people around to your door”to collect it……..It’s about closing down hospitals and hospital wards………it’s about having to send our best and brightist off to forgien lands to so they can find work while our goverment talk about creating jobs and do fuck all about it……….So please don’t think this march is JUST about the household charge…..It’s NOT…….It’s much BIGGER then that.

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    • Finnian without solidarity and separated all these struggles can be easier defeated. And the politicians go hand in hand with the bosses in this and in any other country, you will see it soon when they start to attack labour rights massively like they are doing in Greece. The IMF acts for both the bosses and the bankers, so we have to fight both!

      Reply
  • If ye have nothing good to say, then don’t say anything at all, POWER TO THE VC 32!!!

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  • John 30/03/12 #

    Our ‘Supreme Leader’ EK has recently let on to know a little bit about Pensions (especially where Politicians are concerned)…Pensions are protected in the Constitution via ‘property rights’…ask Enda, he knows?!

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  • Well said fininan, do people really know wat they are protesting about??? a bit of focus is badly needed here lads

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    • Together we stand strong, divided we fall.

      All these struggles are linked and if people stand there sneering at others for showing solidarity with their fellow human beings then we’ll never achieve anything.

      Reply
  • Vita cortex picketing is so annoying people dont care anymore we all have our own problems time to move on

    Reply

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