A €75 million investment programme in the Bausch and Lomb production plant in Waterford has been supported by SIPTU members.
The announcement in late April by the contact lens manufacturer’s parent company, Valeant, is expected to result in the creation of 125 new jobs when the construction of a new production facility is completed in 2016.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Alan O’Leary, said: “Last year a dark cloud hung over Waterford with the public threat to close the Bausch and Lomb plant with the potential loss of over 1,200 jobs. The agreement between SIPTU and management in July 2014 removed this threat.
“Since then the sacrifice, hard work and dedication of the workers in the plant, in adopting significant operational change, has created the environment for senior management of the company to consider the Waterford facility as a location for major new investment.”