Adams calls for ministerial intervention in Vodafone Call Centre debacle

The Sinn Féin president and TD for Louth, Gerry Adams has called for Minister Pat Rabbitte to intervene directly in the deteriorating situation at Vodafone in Dundalk. The company plans to move operations to Newry based company Teleperformance next month.

The long running saga increased in intensity several days ago after workers at Vodafone call centres in the Republic of Ireland voted in favour of strike action after the company decided to move 300 jobs to Teleperformance in Newry. Vodafone, which had previously promised all workers would have the opportunity to transfer to Newry, is now admitting that this will not be possible and only some workers will be offered a transfer.

Teachta Adams was speaking following a meeting yesterday between Minister Rabbitte, Local TDs and the Communications Workers Union. “Vodafone is a hugely profitable company, it has made over €2 Billion from the Irish market and it is the beneficiary of lucrative Government contracts. Despite this, their attitude towards employees in Dundalk and Dublin has been deplorable. The quid pro quo of these contracts needs to be job retention in Ireland. I understand workers have now voted to take strike action in relation to the dispute and the Government needs to intervene immediately.”

Adams added, “The workers at Vodafone have been left in the dark in relation to their future. Many of them are simply unable to move with their job to Newry yet are being refused any redundancy payment. Furthermore, the situation at Vodafone shows the folly of privatisation policy. The company was once Eircell, a state-owned and hugely profitable company. Now after privatisation and a series of sell-offs, the company has made millions for speculators while gradually running down its operation in Ireland.”