Labour Court recommends closure of Waterford Foods garage after 50% staffing cut

In 1995, the Labour Court recommended that Waterford Foods close its Shandon maintenance facility and agree with the Amalgamated Transport And General Workers' Union how to carry out the closure. The recommendation was signed on 17 January 1995. The company said a smaller, increasingly leased fleet needed less maintenance and said the three mechanics could propose taking on the maintenance contract. The union opposed compulsory closure or privatisation, saying garage staffing had already fallen by 50% since 1991 and that the available general operative work was not suitable redeployment for the mechanics. A conciliation conference had failed to reach agreement. The Court recommended that the parties finalise an agreement by 28 February 1995.