Union seeks meeting with Minister Coveney following latest incident at Stryker

SIPTU has written to Enterprise, Trade, and Employment Minister Simon Coveney to requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss health and safety concerns at Stryker facilities in Carrigtwohill following what it described as an “alarming pattern” of incidents at the East Cork plants.

The medical technology company’s Springhill plant was evacuated yesterday after a fire alarm was activated.

The fire service was not alerted and the incident was managed internally. No one was injured in the incident.

A Stryker spokesperson told The Echo: “A fire alarm was activated this morning at our Springhill facility. As per our strict safety procedures, we immediately evacuated all employees. There were no injuries and our facility resumed operations shortly afterwards.

“At Stryker, the greatest focus and priority is the health and safety of our people. Through our employee health and safety initiatives, we continue to work tirelessly to provide a safe and secure working environment for all employees.”

The incident yesterday morning marked the third in recent weeks at Stryker facilities in Carrigtwohill.

Two men were injured, one critically, in a workplace incident at Stryker’s Anngrove plant on April 18. A week later, a fire broke out at the company’s Tullagreen facility. There were no reports of any injuries as a result of that incident.

Speaking to The Echo, Siptu sector organiser Neil McGowan said the incident yesterday was the latest in what he described as an “alarming pattern” of incidents.

Mr McGowan said Stryker management in Carrigtwohill have refused to engage with the union regarding health and safety concerns.

The union has now requested a face-to-face meeting with Mr Coveney to discuss the situation.

Socialist Party TD for Cork North-Central Mick Barry yesterday criticised Stryker management for its lack of engagement with the union.

“If Stryker think they can continue to refuse to meet representatives of a workforce with health and safety concerns and that the issue will just go away, then I think that they are very much mistaken,” he said.

“This issue is not going to go away.”

Mr Barry raised the recent incidents in the Dáil yesterday with Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who said he would speak to Mr Coveney about arranging a meeting with Siptu.

Labour TD for Cork East, Seán Sherlock said he believes ministerial intervention with Stryker international headquarters is now necessary.