We are writing as Covalen workers and employee representatives, organised through DATA-CWU, in response to the announcement of over 720 redundancies. This letter is directed clearly and deliberately at CPL, Covalen, Meta, and the Irish Government, all of whom have responsibility for what happens next.

This situation was not created by workers. Covalen staff met targets, adapted to constant change, moved between roles and projects when required, and delivered value under difficult and often unstable conditions. They did so in good faith. They are now facing job loss during an acute cost-of-living crisis, with little protection and no certainty.

For many, redundancy will mean immediate financial hardship. Based on estimates by employee representatives, around 400 workers will receive no statutory redundancy at all, while dozens more will miss eligibility by a matter of weeks under the company’s proposed timeline. Many workers, particularly migrants, do not have sufficient PRSI contributions to qualify for state supports. These are not abstract statistics. They are households facing rent arrears, debt, and upheaval.

This message is for CPL, Covalen, and Meta.

You are not passive observers. CPL controls key financial decisions. Covalen is implementing the process. Meta is the client whose contracting decisions triggered these job losses. Each of you has the capacity to reduce the harm being caused. Choosing not to do so is still a decision, and workers will judge it accordingly.

This message is also for the Irish Government.

Collective redundancy law exists to protect workers from rushed, unfair, and opaque processes. Meaningful consultation is not optional, and it does not begin with a short video call before employee representatives are elected. The state has a responsibility to intervene when the spirit of the law is being undermined and when hundreds of workers are being pushed towards unemployment with inadequate protection.