BNM Group of Unions to discuss impasse in coal operations closure talks
The Bord na Mona (BNM) Group of Unions is to convene a full meeting of its representatives to discuss actions to counter an attempt by management to deny workers, who are facing redundancy, improvements to their pensions in line with other staff who have recently lost their jobs.

BNM Group of Unions Secretary, John Regan, said: “A decision was made today (Friday, 31st August) at a meeting of the negotiating committee which is tasked with engaging with the company in relation to its decision to close its coal operations around the country to convene a full meeting of the BNM Group of Unions.
“This meeting will discuss the current impasse in negotiations between union representatives and management in relation to the closure terms for the operations affected, namely the Lullymore Facilities and BNM Fuel Headquarters in Newbridge, County Kildare, as well as a number of coal depots around the country.”
He added: “The BNM Group of Unions meeting will bring together workplace representatives from all of the BNM business units. Its focus will be the refusal of management to apply the full terms of the recent agreement concerning the 124 workers made redundant due to the closure of the Littleton Briquette Plant in County Tipperary, to the 45 workers who will lose their jobs due to the closure of the coal operations.”
Unite Official, Ed Thompson, said: “The issue at the centre of the current impasse in negotiations is a pension adjustment that is part of the Littleton closure agreement, which management is attempting to remove from the proposed coal operations closure agreement. This means that not only are 45 workers losing their jobs but there is also an attempt to deny them an improvement to their pensions when they retire which their colleagues will receive.”
