'A brutal shock' - Laois factory workers stunned at closure announcement

Workers at the Standex Ireland plant in Mountmellick, Laois who learned today that their jobs are going are reeling in shock and anger.

Some of the 22 workers spoke to the Leinster Express on site this lunchtime Wednesday January 29. Six of the staff have over 30 years of service.

Dave Farrell from Mountmellick has worked for the US owned company for 37 years.

"It was a brutal shock this morning. The rug is completely pulled out from under us. I am the only one here who had three generations of family work here. My father Michael and my two daughters Aisling and Amy who had summer jobs that put them through college. I always worked 65 or 70 hours a week, six days a week to try and make life better for my family. I am fairly raw today. The future is fairly bleak as regards finding work. I am 56. Where do I go? My wife has a disability and can't work. It really has me disgusted," he said.

Standex Ireland Ltd has two plants in Mountmellick, the older one in Acragar announced for closure with 22 staff, and a newer one in Irishtown with almost 40 staff. He and other workers are angry that the company has reportedly told Irishtown staff their jobs are safe, rather than share the redundancies. 

"We're not being given the opportunity to retrain even though it is similar work. It's not rocket science. Many of that workforce wouldn't have a fraction of the service we have," he said.

David Kelly has worked there for 31 years.

"I knew something was in the pipeline but I'm devastated. They are trying to separate the two plants, but we had a first in last out policy. they are trying to shaft us, cherry picking us. We were already on a three day week. They told us today they are outsourcing to China. They are telling us the truth when it's already done," he said.

Eamon Scully has a teenage son and a mortgage to pay.

"It's disgusting the way we have been treated. I'll be 50 in March, I can't train for another job. My wife works but I'll be on the dole soon," he said.

Richard Dunne has the longest service, 42 years working on the grinding machines. He joined in 1978 a month after the factory opened. At 63 he was close to retirement.

"We are all in the one boat. all let down. To give service to the company for so long and all of a sudden thrown out. Money talks, they are getting it cheaper elsewhere," he said.

Paul Bergin has a two year old daughter, a car loan, a mortgage and a credit union loan. He has worked for nine years for Standex.

"Workers have been treated like dirt. I am absolutely sick. Lads have been hand picked, they've rewritten the rules," he said.

SIPTU union are in talks with management of Standex this afternoon.