Gloomy outlook for knife factory jobs
IT will be a gloomy New Year on the employment front in Kerry after it was revealed that a Listowel factory will start working on a week-on, week-off basis in January, raising doubts about the future of as many as 70 jobs.
The cutbacks have been announced at Imperial Stag Ltd, which produces penknives and hunting knives and which has been based in Listowel for over 30 years.
Ted Kenny of SIPTU, the trade union representing the majority of the workforce at Imperial Stag, told The Kerryman that the decision to go on reduced hours from January 2 until further notice was taken after a series of negotiations with management.
He also confirmed that the move will inevitably mean a 50 per cent cut in wages for the workforce.
According to Mr Kenny, the problems have mainly been caused by a downturn in the lucrative American market, although Imperial Stag has managed to maintain the bulk of its European custom.
While the situation will be monitored and reviewed regularly, Mr Kenny warned that it is expected to continue until at least April.
However, he denied that the future of the factory itself is in any danger.
North Kerry Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan said that he had been aware for some time that Imperial Stag was facing problems. However, he expressed confidence that the factory would be able to turn the situation around in due course.
He added, “This is just the latest in a series of blows on the jobs front that Listowel has suffered over the past five years or so.”
No representative of the management at Imperial Stag was available for comment on Friday afternoon.
