Contact lens staff call off planned strike

A planned strike by 1,500 workers at Bausch & Lomb's Waterford contact lens plant was called off on Sunday after talks between management and representatives of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union.

Picketing was due to begin at 9.00pm on Sunday in a dispute over the company's decision to unilaterally suspend a TEEU shop steward who worked for the city's biggest employer.

Bausch & Lomb had issued protective notices to all 1,500 employees to keep the factory open when the union issued its strike notice. According to a report in the Irish Examiner the shop steward of 20 years' standing was to be suspended without pay for alleged comments to a production manager.