WORKERS AND MANAGEMENT at the Lagan Brick plant in Kingscourt have accepted a package of proposals from the Labour Relations Commission to end their month-long dispute.

The recommendations were put to both parties following a nine-hour meeting between both parties at the LRC on Monday.

The proposals include appointing an independent assessor to examine the company’s trading position, and to assess whether it is viable to continue manufacturing on the site. A report will be produced to both sides within the next fortnight.

Staff have agreed to return to work and to facilitate the release of 300,000 bricks n the meantime, with all revenue from the sale of those bricks going forwards redundancy payments, over and above the workers’ statutory entitlements.

25 workers at the brick manufacturing plant were only made aware of their redundancy a few hours before the plant ceased operations on December 15, and had held a 24-hour protest at the site since being let go.

SIPTU organiser John Regan said the process outlined by the LRC would “provide the necessary groundwork for a complete and just settlement to this dispute”.

The 24-hour presence at the site will continue, however, until a final settlement has been agreed.