Given that an ICTU all out picket has been obtained, I call on MANDATE and SIPTU who organise workers in the retail and distribution sectors to instruct their members to black Green Isle goods so that they do not even reach the supermarket shelves.
Responding to news that a second Green Isle striker will join his colleague Jim Wyse on hunger strike on Wednesday 24 February in response to the company’s refusal to act on a LRC finding that it unfairly dismissed three workers, Socialist Party MEP Joe Higgins said:
“I am gravely concerned for the welfare of the Green Isle workers who have been on strike since last August. The fact that the dispute has lasted this long and that the company are brazenly ignoring the findings of unfair dismissal indicates to me that more organised pressure needs to be brought to bear on that company who steadfastly refuse to deal with the TEEU representatives of the workers.
“The only language the company bosses will heed is that of the firm’s bottom line. Therefore I say the resources of the trade union movement need to be deployed. Given that an ICTU all out picket has been obtained, I call on MANDATE and SIPTU who organise workers in the retail and distribution sectors to instruct their members to black Green Isle goods so that they do not even reach the supermarket shelves. This industrial action should be backed up by a publicity offensive against Green Isle to encourage a mass consumer boycott of their products.
“Any action short of this runs the risk of prolonging the dispute and endangering the workers who engaging in the hunger strike. I also call on people to attend the Justice for Green Isle workers protest march at 12pm on Saturday the 27th February in Naas beginning at the Cinema car park”
