On October 29, SIPTU members voted in favor of an agreement with Coca-Cola HBC to resolve the 9-week industrial conflict over outsourcing [1]. The agreement was achieved with the help of a mediation process SIPTU initiated after the company refused to implement Labour Court recommendations, a move almost unprecedented in the history of Irish labour relations. The agreement provides for an increase in the redundancy package plus the prospect of employment with third party operators for some workers subject to further negotiations.
In a message to IUF affiliates, SIPTU highlighted the role of international solidarity in bringing the dispute to a negotiated resolution, saying "The messages of support from our friends in Russia, Croatia, the UK, Germany, Austria, Nigeria, The Philippines, Canada, the USA and other countries all were read out to the union members on the picket lines around the country during the strike. This sense of solidarity sustained union members and was a source of great pride in that our members knew that they were not alone in the struggle. Your help in our struggle will not be forgotten.”