06/01/2012

Vita Cortex Finance's Larger Than Thought – Siptu

Workers' union Siptu have claimed the owner of the Vita Cortex plant, currently in a redundancy payment row with workers, has more assets that he previously claimed.

Siptu, who are representing the workers currently engaged in a sit-in protest at the plant in Cork, said information was emerged indicating that the owner of Vita Cortex has considerably more assets than has been previously acknowledged.

The union said reports on Thursday indicated Vita Cortex owner Jack Ronan has interests in over 20 other companies as well as a "substantial property portfolio", which includes a penthouse apartment in Cork, a stud farm in Tipperary and two retail parks.

“Jack Ronan has openly stated that he accepts his legal and moral obligation to pay his former employees at Vita Cortex their just redundancy payments but that he does not have the funds to meet this commitment. It is clear from today’s newspaper reports that this claim is very much open to question,” said SIPTU Organiser, Anne Egar.

The company has refused to pay workers at the plant any redundancy payments despite closing the plant some weeks ago.

The Union went on to say that among the companies that Ronan is listed as being currently, or recently, a director is Print Works Ltd, a business whose other major shareholders include state agency Enterprise Ireland, Renard Pig Farms and Web Circle Ltd.

Ronan’s other business interests include a Tipperary based bloodstock company, PIC Ireland Ltd (which assists in the genetic improvement of pigs) and a 50% share in two profitable crèches in Cork and Arklow.

(DW)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 March 2024
Translink Workers Reject Pay Offer
Translink NI workers have rejected a pay offer from the public transport company. Unite, GMB and SIPTU confirmed that their members has "decisively voted to reject as inadequate" a pay offer made by Translink management. Workers were offered a 5% pay increase and a non-consolidated one-off payment of £1,500 for the 2023-2024 financial year.
23 March 2012
Conciliation Services Invite Accepted By Vita Cortex Workers
Vita Cortex workers in Cork have accepted an invitation from the Director of Conciliation Services at the Labour Relations Commission to meet in the dispute over redundancy payments. Kevin Foley issued the invitation to see if the long running dispute between the workers and their former employer Jack Ronan can be resolved.
22 February 2012
Vita Cortex Workers Disgusted At Personal Attack
SIPTU members at Vita Cortex have reacted with disgust to the attack on their characters contained in a letter sent to the media by a director of the company.
14 February 2012
Alex Ferguson Cheers On Vita Cortex Workers
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has made a surprise phone call to the Vita Cortex workers on Monday afternoon, supporting their fight and telling them to “stick in there” until they secured victory.
17 July 2012
President To Meet Former Vita Cortex Workers
President Michael D Higgins will meet with the former Vita Cortex workers when they visit him at Áras an Uachtaráin today, 17th July. President Higgins invited the workers to the Áras after they successfully resolved their long dispute over outstanding redundancy payments with the owners of the Vita Cortex foam manufacturing plant in May.