Boliden seeking almost 150 job cuts to deliver 'sustainable reopening' of Tara Mines

Unions have reacted with anger and described as "reckless" the decision by Tara Mines management to make public a proposed voluntary redundancy package for its current 560-strong workforce and plans to shed 150 jobs at the Navan site.

SIPTU said the unilateral release by Boliden of a strategy document proposing voluntary redundancy terms was "aimed more at public relations than negotiating in good faith."

Both sides are due to attend the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) next Tuesday the 9th January 2024 where the proposals were to be outlined with the aim of reaching agreement on the plan in the hope of re-opening the mine in quarter 2 of this year.

Under the rescue plan that Boliden claim will determine sustainable reopening are measures that include:

• A reduction in the annual production tonnage targets from 2.6 million to 1.8 million tonnes.

• Concentration on a smaller more efficient active mining footprint.

• The Mill will operate on a cycle to match needs in the most effective manner, typically this may be three weeks operating and one week non-operational.

• Confidence that Development targets will be met.

• Manning levels, shift patterns and ways of working to reflect best practice for the revised requirements of the operation.

• Redeployment and retraining will be essential.

• The use of contractors will be reduced and deployed efficiently to assist in guaranteeing targets are met.

• A new style partnership agreement with the GoU to better achieve common interests.

• Full implementation of new agreements.

To achieve what Boliden terms "the most effective and efficient way of operating at 1.8 million tonnes will require an organisation of 405 full time staff". That is a reduction of almost 150 staff based at the mine before it went into care and maintenance last July.

There was just over 600 full-time staff employed at the mine before it went into care and maintenance last summer. 43 workers have since taken retirement/early retirement leaving the current workforce at approximately 560.

In the letter addressed to staff issued on Friday, (5th January) the company said it will open a voluntary severance scheme and together with the early retirement program will aim to achieve the manning levels required.

"Re-opening can only take place with the desired staffing levels in place. Some system of job-sharing or rotation may be required until we achieve the desired staffing numbers. This will be negotiated with the unions once we have an indication on the take up from the voluntary severance scheme.

"The company will be approaching the negotiations on the rescue plan in a meaningful way with the objective of reaching agreement. We expect that the GoU will do likewise. With goodwill and a positive approach, I believe that the mine can re-open and stay open. We need to work together to ensure we achieve this goal. I am confident that, given it is in the interest of all parties involved to re-open the mine, we can reach agreement on what needs to be done to the satisfaction of the Company and you, our employees."

Commenting on the proposed rescue plan yesterday, Tara Mines general manager, Gunnar Nyström said.

"Earlier today (Friday) we updated employees regarding our ambition to re-open the mine in the second quarter of this year. As part of our desire to secure a timely re-opening, we have been developing a rescue plan designed to address operational challenges at Tara Mines.

"These challenges must be addressed in order for the mine to re-open on a sustainable basis. Once we re-open, we want to be able to remain open. We propose to commence negotiations with the Group of Unions on the rescue plan at the Workplace Relations Commission on Tuesday January 9th.

"The Group of Unions have made a request that the company open a voluntary severance scheme for Tara Mines employees. On foot of this request we have made the decision to ask Tara Mines employees to express whether they are interested in a voluntary severance package. If we can reach agreement with the Group of Unions on the details of the rescue plan, we propose to formally open a voluntary severance scheme.

"We are acutely aware of how difficult the last few months have been for our employees, and for the wider community. With the support of the Boliden Group, we are determined to re-open as soon as possible. The position remains that if we can reach an agreement with the Group of Unions by the first week in February, our ambition is to re-open the mine in the second quarter in 2024, assuming that there is no significant deterioration in market conditions. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring about a re-opening as early as possible."

SIPTU said that senior figures in the company had gone public with their plans without sitting down with the Group of Unions (SIPTU, Unite and Connect) involved in the long-running dispute.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, John Regan, said: "The company sent two documents to the unions yesterday evening and had gone public within the hour. That is a slap in the face to the workers involved and a strategy aimed more at public relations than negotiating in good faith.

"The fact that the parties are due to return to conciliation at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Tuesday makes this underhanded tactic even more reckless. Earlier this week, the Labour Court recommended talks on all four issues presented by the unions: voluntary redundancy terms, a date for the recommencement of operations, terminations, and payments to shop stewards.

"These talks have been pre-empted by the management's decision to negotiate through the media. To date, the company has not even confirmed that they have accepted or rejected the Labour Court recommendation. We do not understand how anyone serious about resolving the dispute could act in this way.

"Over 145 days after unilaterally laying off over 600 people, it simply beggars belief that Tara Mines would want workers to find out about their jobs through the local and national media."