META job loss announcement raises real concerns about continued job losses in the Tech sector

30-day consultation period needs to be respected by META - says FSU

The General Secretary of the Financial Services Union, John O’Connell, has expressed his union’s solidarity with workers in META who are at risk of redundancy and has called on META to respect the statutory 30-day consultation period.

META have today announced that it expects another 490 staff to be made redundant from its Irish division. This is in addition to the 350 job losses already announced.

Commenting on the announcement John O’Connell, General Secretary of the FSU said:

“ This is a worrying day for staff working in META who will now have an anxious wait to see if they are one of the 490 staff at risk of redundancy. First and foremost, it is important staff are treated properly by the Company and their concerns are not just listened to but acted upon by the company.

The quotes from the CEO of META that the company will start hiring once the restructuring has taken place are inappropriate at this juncture.  If there are opening in other areas of the organisation the 30-day consultation period should be utilised to try and redeploy staff at risk of redundancy.

The company should also adopt an approach a voluntary first approach to the redundancy process. During the consultation process there is a legal requirement on the company to explore options to avoid redundancies. It is not appropriate for the company to pre-empt the outcome of this process.

The announcement raises real concerns about continued job losses in the tech sector in Ireland. Simon Coveney comment back in February that Ireland was “ over the worst of the job cuts “ has proven to be incorrect and we would expect a more proactive approach from the Government and Government agencies to ensuring that jobs are secured in the sector.”

ENDS