GAME Stores suddenly announced on Monday the closure of all 14 of their stores in Ireland, resulting in 121 workers losing their jobs without warning. Many of the workers have provided considerable years of service to the games retailer. The workers have now courageously decided to sit-in 13 of the stores across the country, demanding their back pay and other money their owed.
The Socialist Party fully support these workers, and call on others to show their support too. Support the workers facebook page at facebook.com/gameworkersfight and visit the workers at the nearest shop to you.
Below we post a press statement issued today by Socialist Party TDs Joe Higgins & Clare Daly, and below that one issued yesterday Paul Murphy MEP.
Joe Higgins TD said “I would like to offer my full support and solidarity to the workers of the Game stores who are occupying 13 stores nationwide. It is remarkable that these workers are courageously following in the footsteps of the La Senza and Vita Cortex workers who themselves were inspired by the global Occupy Movement. This dispute is yet another example of major companies using the recession as an excuse to treat loyal workers with complete and utter disdain. I call on the Games stores to immediately provide these workers with their full redundancy and pay entitlements”
Clare Daly TD added “I would like to congratulate the Game workers for making their stand. The fact that these workers recognised immediately the importance of occupying their stores shows once again just how much the worker’s movement has learned in recent times about cut-throat big business. I demand that the Government and in particular the Labour Party intervene into this dispute to ensure that these workers are paid in full what they are due. The trade union movement need to have an immediate response on this issue by putting pressure on the retailer and by also preparing their members for industrial action if it becomes necessary.”
Paul Murphy MEP Press statement from March 27th:
MEP condemns Game as “thieves” over treatment of staff
- Company attempts to leave employees without redundancy
- Full support for staff occupation
Socialist Party / United Left Alliance MEP Paul Murphy today commended the staff at Game stores who have occupied the premises.
“I fully support the brave stand that the staff in Game stores across the country have taken. Management at the company have acted like thieves in attempting to steal the redundancy money of these workers.
“This is similar to the action that is on-going at Viva Cortex, and previously at Le Senza. The workers in Game are making a stand for workers all over the country, and indeed Europe who are being treated the same way.
“It is symptomatic of the way employers in this country think that they can discard staff on a whim and without fulfilling their legal duty to the staff who have made them huge profits through the years.
“I will visit the staff tomorrow to give my full support and any assistance that is required. This company cannot be allowed to walk away from its staff. The trade union movement must now make a determined stand to defend retail staff.”
