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David Begg of ICTU has said that the workers were treated "shamefully" Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Vita Cortex sit-in enters its tenth day - with no end in sight

A SIPTU delegation visited the 32 workers today, who are fighting to get redundancy payments from the company.

STAFF AT THE Vita Cortex company are continuing their sit-in at the Cork plant – with no end in sight.

A SIPTU delegation visited the plant today to support the 32 workers who are fighting to secure outstanding redundancy payments.

Vita Cortex, which manufactures packaging, closed its plant on Kinsale Road in Cork ten days ago on Friday 16 December. 32 workers at the company were told they would not be receiving any redundancy payments – and have been holding a sit-in at the company ever since.

SIPTU organiser Paul Bell, who led the union delegation to the plant today, described the situation as a “gross injustice” for the workers, “perpetrated upon them by an employer who has demonstrated an overt disregard for the loyalty of his employees”.

The morale of the workers in the plant remains high having received support from their local community, across Cork, and the country, Bell said.

“However it is extremely important for the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure that these workers and their families are not forced into a marathon struggled to obtain a realistic redundancy settlement”.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has also pledged its support to the workers, with Congress General Secretary David Begg saying that the 32 workers had been treated “shamefully”

Begg said that the workers had shown “great courage and determination in very difficult circumstances”.

“The Government cannot simply stand by and wring its hands in despair. Like it or not, they are involved because of the role played by NAMA in this often murky affair,” said Begg, adding:

This is wrong, no matter how you dress it up.

“Citing legal niceties and technicalities just won’t cut it. Remember NAMA is the same body that sees no difficulty in paying hundreds of thousands of euro annually to speculators who were central to crashing the economy, while 32 workers are denied what they are legally and morally entitled to”.

RTE reported that the workers were offered €1,500 each from the company just before Christmas Day – an offer which was described as insulting.

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    Mute Stephen Pluck
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    Oct 28th 2011, 7:51 PM

    Where’s NATO now?!

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Oct 28th 2011, 8:16 PM

    Obviously no gains for America in Syria!! Greatest warmongers and hypocrites on the planet!!!

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    Mute Mensah Mensah
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    Oct 28th 2011, 8:38 PM

    Nato,UK,UN,America are scared of the big cats…they only go after the small fish….shame on u….

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    Mute Joe McDermott
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    Oct 28th 2011, 7:58 PM

    Team America! Fuck Yeah!

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    Mute D B cooper
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    Oct 28th 2011, 8:32 PM

    If NATO are willing to stand by and do nothing the least they could do is arm the people all they want is a democratic country

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    Mute RDX862
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    Oct 28th 2011, 10:07 PM

    March 17, 2011
    Libya No-Fly Zone Approved By U.N. Security Council

    October 4, 2011
    U.N. Resolution on Syria Blocked by Russia and China

    The Assad regime has purchased a large amount of weapons from Russia and they also can use Syria to get by the sanctions on Iran by using Syria as a go between. The Russians also have a naval base in Syria that they have been upgrading for a few years since it had become disused when the Soviet Union collapsed. They plan on using it to have a large permanent presence in the Mediterranean.

    May 12, 2011
    Russia is attempting to suppress a United Nations report that says Iran has been breaking a U.N. arms embargo by shipping weapons to Syria

    Aug 18, 2011
    Russia Is Still Selling Weapons To Syria

    02 September, 2011
    Russia hopes new Libyan authorities will honor Gaddafi-era contracts

    08 September, 2011
    $4 bln down the drain: Libyan rebels won’t buy Russian arms

    September 10, 2011
    Syrian Protesters Burn the Russian Flag

    September 12, 2011
    Syria may buy more Russian air defense systems

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    Mute Mata Mata
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    Oct 29th 2011, 7:31 AM

    Turkey is going solo and supplying arms and intelligence , well done Turkey thank you !

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    Mute Raymond Power
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    Oct 29th 2011, 8:28 AM

    syria has no oil then?

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    Mute JSLeFanu
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    Oct 29th 2011, 5:50 PM

    Neither did Bosnia, your point?

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    Oct 29th 2011, 10:06 AM

    Assads destiny is to end up like Gaddafi. Sooner or later he’ ll get a bullet in the head, maybe from his own side.

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    Mute Mata Mata
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    Oct 29th 2011, 9:52 AM

    Bashar and all who surround you will die in rat holes where you belong !

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