Jobs under threat locally - Kilkenny Memories

Serious unemployment is again facing the workers of the former North Kilkenny mining town of Castlecomer.

For the industrial boom of the past four years which followed the closure of the mines appears to be taking a nosedive.

This weekend the long dole queues, which became a depressing sight after the colliery closures, will show signs of returning with two factories having laid off almost 100 workers.

But, at the time of going to press, the actual situation was somewhat confused.

A decision by Roadmaster caravans Ltd to make 50 workers redundant brought a strike threat which is to become effective from finishing time today (Friday) and may result in a complete factory shut-down.

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Meanwhile at Irish Clay Industries Ltd, 45 employees have been given an extended Christmas holiday to the end of January because of a drop in sales. On Wednesday morning, with management in conference, no one was available for comment.

The situation at Roadmaster is more serious, with management and union deadlocked. The management have decided to make 47 men and three women redundant from Friday, but this has been rejected by the employees, most of them members of the ITGWU, who, following a trade union meeting, suggested as an alternative that all workers go on a five day fortnight so that there will be no unemployment.

Roadmaster managing director Myles McCabe explained that this alternative was just not feasible. He explained that in the past three months there had been a drastic cutback on the home and export market in the caravan industry.
Following the redundancies there would still be 71 workers in the factory.