Covalen Declines WRC Invitation Amid 700+ Redundancies; CWU Strikes for Recognition
Meta contractor Covalen declined a WRC invitation to discuss over 700 redundancies, prompting a CWU strike for recognition. The union criticized legal provisions as «worthless» since Covalen offers only statutory redundancy, leaving many workers without payment. This highlights a flaw in worker representation legislation.
Meta contractor Covalen declined a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) invitation to discuss over 700 planned redundancies, leading the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) to describe consultation provisions as «worthless». CWU members staged a one-day strike on Friday, campaigning for recognition and collective bargaining rights.
Owen O’Reilly, CWU branch representative, stated members were left with no choice but to strike for basic union representation rights. Ian McArdles, CWU deputy general secretary, noted Covalen's refusal to engage with the WRC demonstrates how procedures can be ignored. Covalen stated it continues to consult and support affected teams, following required processes.
Workers involved in the strike claim legally required consultations have not improved the company's position to only pay statutory redundancy, which excludes over half of the affected workers with less than two years' service. Seán McDonagh, CWU general secretary, criticized the legislation's flaw, allowing profitable companies like Covalen to offer only statutory payments when a union is not recognized.
The job losses at Covalen, which provides services to Meta, follow Meta's recent announcement to cut about 10 percent (8,000 people) of its global workforce due to AI developments. Meta is expected to announce Irish job losses next week.