Exclusive: Coca Cola workers in Athy offered €10K bonus on top of redundancy package as plant closing date is set

Workers at the Coca Cola plant in Athy are being offered a €10,000 bonus on top of their redundancy package ahead of the closure of the plant next year.

KildareNow has learned that the plant will cease operations entirely on December 31 2019.

The Athy International Concentrates company who operate the plant, known as the Coca Cola plant, have proposed the deal following discussions with SIPTU at local level and at the Workplace Relations Commission. The deal has been agreed in principle by SIPTU and the company, and SIPTU will now ballot their members to see if the measures will be accepted.

KildareNow has obtained documents that show the redundancy package being offered by the company. Each worker will receive a severance package of two weeks pay for every year worked, along with an extra week at a maximum pay rate of €600 per week.

The workers will also receive an ex-Gratia payment of six weeks pay per year of service based on basic pay, plus shift allowance and the average of the previous three years’ bonuses. There is 2.5 year cap on this package.

A minimum payment of three months pay is being offered to those who have been on short service with the company.

Athy International Concentrates are also offering a bonus of €10,000 on the basis that the winding down of operations at the plant is done in an orderly manner, meaning workers must remain in their role until their exit date unless they are given approval by the company to leave.

They must also be flexible across multiple roles, support the transition of the products to the Ballina plant, and maintain site quality, safety and attendance standards at all times.

Under the terms of the deal, an employee’s health insurance with VHI will be extended by one year following their leaving date, while life assurance will also be lengthened by one year.

The company have also pledged to offer CV and interview preparation for employees who are leaving, one on one coaching, retirement planning and individual financial advice sessions will also be arranged where required.

Another interesting part of the redundancy package is that the company will provide funding of up to €2,500 for those wishing to upskill by registering for an educational training course upon leaving.

Positions in Ballina

Those working in the Athy plant are being offered the chance to move their jobs to Ballina where Coca Cola also operate a large plant. Their salary will remain the same, as will the years of service they have accrued with the company. Those transferring to Ballina will also be entitled to receive the wind down bonus being offered. Employees are allowed up to three months upon transferring to the Mayo facility to change their mind, and if they do reconsider they will be entitled to the full redundancy package on offer in Athy.

The company have agreed to relocation expenses which amounts to up to €17,675 and includes charges such as stamp duty, solicitors’ fees and auctioneers fees. Rental accommodation for up to four months to the value of €4,000 will be covered.

Potential strike

The workers in Athy will now be balloted on this offer from the company, but KildareNow understands there are some members of the workforce who are considering strike action.

The ballot of the SIPTU members will take place next Wednesday, October 10.