Naas March to defend TEEU Green Isle jobs

kildare | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Sunday November 01, 2009 12:19

by Paula Geraghty

mspgeraghty at yahoo dot ie

Management at Green Isle still refuse to engage with TEEU, LRC, NIB, or Labour Court. This despite the fact that they have accepted Irish State Aid to the tune of €43,000,000. Green Isle's capacity to suck money out of the Irish exchequer is matched by their contempt for workers and the Trade Union movement.

Workers are facing an onslaught of attacks on pay, conditions, outsourcing and trade Union rights. The 26 striking workers in Green Isle are in the 10th week of their battle for their jobs and dignity. They are in a long line of groups of workers facing the ruthless greed and tactics of business. The wealthy and IBEC want to smash trade unionism. Green Isle workers are at that coal face.

Eamon Devoy TEEU, Peter Mc Loone, Impact, Jack O'Connor, Siptu and Joe Higgins, Socialist Party MEP, were among supporters at the Kildare Trades Council demonstration to support the 26 striking Green Isle workers.

Please read details of the dispute from the TEEU here:

Ceardchumann Teicniúil, Innealtóireachta agus Leictreachais
Technical, Engineering & Electrical Union
6, Gardiner Row, Dublin 1 Phone: 874 7047 Fax: 874 7048
Website: www.teeu.ie E-mail: info@teeu.ie

CALL TO ACTION

MARCH FOR JUSTICE – SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER AT 2.PM

ASSEMBLE: Kildare Co. Co. Office, Devoy House, Naas

Green Isle Strike for Justice, 10 weeks on.

As you know the TEEU is in official dispute with Green Isle Foods, Naas. This dispute is now in its 10th week to have seven of our members reinstated, who were wrongfully dismissed.

To raise awareness of the management’s injustice and to show support to the workers involved, the Kildare Council of Trades Unions is organising a protest march on 31st October 2009.

It is essential that all available trade unionists and their families turn up to show their support for our members who are making a huge sacrifice for their colleagues who have been summarily dismissed.

Updates on the strike are as follows:

* Management at Green Isle still refuse to engage with TEEU, LRC, NIB, or Labour Court. This despite the fact that they have accepted Irish State Aid to the tune of €43,000,000

* The ICTU has granted the All-out Picket.

* British Strike breakers have left the company after being arrested for public disorder offences, including serious assault. These have been replaced by Irish scabs hired by recruitment agencies.

* Some of our members have broken the picket line and returned to work. Six of these have been expelled by the Executive Management Committee of the union.

* We are now in the process of taking a case to the Labour Court under section 20. (1) of the

Industrial Relations Act 1969.

* 33 members started out on the picket line. That number is now reduced to 26.

* These 26 men are now doing 24hour picket duty 7 days a week.

Please make every effort to stand shoulder to shoulder with our courageous members by joining in the demonstration on 31st October 2009.

We urge you to come along and demonstrate solidarity with our members and their families who are showing tremendous bravery and resilience in their pursuit of fairness for our sacked members. Not only have they lost out financially but constantly face being passed by staff, self-righteous management and smug scabs. These workers have mounting bills to pay and after ten weeks on strike pay, they are under intense financial and psychological strain.

Yours fraternally,

Eamon Devoy,
General Secretary Designate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxroAO9cdbM

Collections and contributions to the strike fund; Current account, Uster Bank, Main St, Clane. Account No 10215914, Sort Code 985454.