Joe Higgins, Socialist Party MEP demands Green Isle Foods reinstate three sacked workers as recommended by Labour Relations Commission.
Company’s union busting intransigence provoking workers to resort to hunger strike
“Since August last year TEEU members in Green Isle have sustained a strike in response to the sacking of three colleagues by a firm which refuses to recognise trade unions and declined all efforts by the TEEU to negotiate an end to the dispute.
“The firm has throughout this dispute employed strike breakers from Britain and Ireland, of which four were arrested at one point for an assault in a Naas nightclub.
“Despite an LRC finding that these men were unfairly dismissed, Green Isle has still refused to negotiate a settlement. The company’s stance has brought the workers to a point where they feel left with no alternative but to commence a hunger strike from Wednesday 17th February at 12 noon.
“I call on Green Isle, a company which through the years has receive €43 million in state aid according to the TEEU, to reinstate these workers forthwith. If they fail to do so, I urge the trade union leadership to fully enforce the ICTU all out picket and have the goods* of Green Isle blacked by distribution and shop workers. I call on all working people to make every effort to attend the march in support of the workers on 27th February at 12 noon in Naas.”
NOTICE FROM THE WORKERS’ TRADE UNION (TEEU)
- National Rally & March for Justice in Support of the TEEU Strike at Green Isle Foods, Naas – Now 6 Months Without Progress
- 12 noon, Saturday 27th February 2010 – Meet at Storm Cinema Car Park, Naas
- The Labour Court has urged the reinstatement of the workers wrongly dismissed.
BACKGROUND
The TEEU is in official dispute with Green Isle Foods, Naas since August 2009. This dispute is to have three wrongfully dismissed members reinstated.
Management at Green Isle still refuses to engage with the TEEU, LRC, NIB, or accept the Labour Court Recommendation that states: The dismissals were unjustified and called for the reinstatement of the dismissed workers.
This is despite the company having accepted Irish State Aid to the tune of €43,000,000.00
The ICTU has granted the All-out Picket, while British strike breakers have left the company after being arrested for public disorder offences including serious assault. Irish scabs hired by Green Isle through recruitment agencies have replaced them since.
HUNGER STRIKE
Through insufferable frustration the striking workers have decided to embark on a Hunger Strike. Starting on Wednesday 17th February the Electrical Shop Steward will commence the Hunger Strike outside the plant. He will be joined by another striker one week later, then another and so on, to heighten awareness of their long running dispute and to secure the reinstatement of there wrongly dismissed colleagues.
NATION RALLY & DAY OF PROTEST – 27 February 2010
To raise awareness of the management’s injustice, and to show support for the workers involved, the Kildare Council of Trades Unions is organising a Rally & Protest March on Saturday 27th February 2010. Meet 12 noon at the Storm Cinema Car Park and march to the Green Isle Factory.
It is essential that all available trade unionists their friends and families turn up to show their support for 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.
Trades Councils & Union Branches all around the Country are pledging their support for the March for Justice as have a great many musicians, so please come along and show your support – the craic will be mighty.
I look forward to your support on the day.
Eamon Devoy,
General Secretary Designate, TEEU
