RATHDOWNEY was left reeling after the announcement of 120 job losses at Meadow Meats last week. Dawn Meats is set to merge the boning and packing sections of the Rathdowney factory with its plant in south Kilkenny.
The shock blow, which will have a massive detrimental effect on the local community and economy, was announced to workers in the factory canteen last Friday afternoon.
Union representatives and factory management were meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss the terms of redundancy packages and job relocation.
It’s believed some workers will be invited to relocate to plants in Kilkenny. High on the agenda were assurances that the almost 80 remaining jobs in the slaughtering plant of the factory would be secured.
Of the 120 expected to lose their jobs, 40 are believed to be from Rathdowney town itself, while the remainder are from the surrounding areas. Roughly half of the 120 are believed to be foreign workers, including a sizeable Brazilian workforce, and would be likely to move.
Over two dozen workers are believed to be over 40 and are more likely to opt for any redundancy package offered.
Local councillor John King said the remaining workers face a difficult decision over their future. “It’s a no-win situation when you consider the cost of travel. They could rent down there for the week, but it would be very sad to see homes without the man of the house,” he said.
One local described it as a “disaster” for the local community. William Fitzpatrick from Kyledelly said it would have a massive impact on the town to lose workers who would relocate to Kilkenny.
“It’s a disaster for Rathdowney. It’s going to have a major effect on the town. To take 70 people out of the town and what they are spending locally, Rathdowney is going to lose a lot,” he said.
It’s a further blow to the community after the closure of Galmoy Mines, which also provided employment in the area.
Cllr King said: “It’s going back to the ’80s with the closing of the meat factory and Galmoy Mines. It’s a ghost town at the moment.”
Cllr King said many of the workers had known no other job than the factory. “They unfortunately left school at 15 or 16 and went to work in the factory and they would not know any of other role bar the factory,” he said.
Deputy Sean Fleming also said the jobs loss was a “massive blow”.
“I understand that Dawn Meats have made an application for funding to upgrade a number of their plants throughout the country and this is in general supported by the government, but the decision by the company to exclude Rathdowney from the upgrading is bad news for County Laois and surrounding areas,” he said.
Deputy Charlie Flanagan said: “The removal of two key sections of the factory will be a huge loss to the locality and will create fear for the future in a town where unemployment has doubled in the last 12 months, going from 508 on the live register in May 2008 to 1,004 in May 2009.”
Principal of Scoil Bhríde Rathdowney, John Gunnell, said the school may also be affected, as a significant number of children of Brazilian workers at the factory attend the school.
Mr Fitzpatrick, who also supplied beef to the factory, was worried that the slaughtering plant would also be wound down. “It’s going to have a major effect on farmers within a wide radius.
They were straight with you and your money was guaranteed. That was the biggest thing. I see it as the beginning of the end,” he said.
Mr Fitzpatrick said the costs associated with transporting cattle would escalate significantly if the slaughtering plant was relocated.
Cllr King echoed the farmer’s sentiments. “I have a feeling that may happen in a couple of years. They do not have the courage to do it now,” he said.
The 120 jobs expected are expected to be terminated in late August.