An estimated 160 workers at Element Six, De Beers' independently managed industrial diamond manufacturer, have protested pay cuts at the plant in Shannon.Last December, around 50 redundancies were made due to the economy, while the remaining 500 staff was told to expect reduction in hours and pay. Media sources report that last week's protest was spurred by the frustration of workers who feel they can't engage with management about the job and hour cuts.
An estimated 200 staff have been forced to take a 50 percent pay cut while another 160 staff have sustained their regular salaries, reports the Limerick Leader. The plant's staff are looking for a fairer, less arbitrary system of implementation. Meanwhile, the company's human resources department has expressed disappointment in the staff's protest action and says it is striving to maintain the maximum number of jobs possible, according to Tacy Ltd.
In the meantime, the Labour Court has recommended that Element Six reimburse its workers half the money they lost as part of the company's move towards cutting hours.
