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Bray Town offers support for the Connolly's Shoes Strikers
Friday 09 July 2010, 03pm
A rally was held today in Bray in support of four workers from Dun Laoghaire who were dismissed by their employer, Connolly’s Shoes. The workers were sacked without any notice, just cause and without compensation and have been on strike for the past 13 weeks.
Following the closure of the Connolly Shoes store in Dun Laoghaire, Mandate Trade Union says it has been left with no option but to organise the support rally for the workers outside the Connolly Shoes store in Bray, which is owned by the same employers, Mr Matthew Connolly and Mr Aidan Nevin.
Mandate Trade Union say that the workers are extremely upset and very disappointed by the treatment they have received from their employer who attempted to cut their terms and conditions without any consultation or negotiation. They say they have been left with no alternative but to protest at the Bray store as their employer has closed all other avenues of communication with them.
Pat Byrne, one of the sacked workers with 38 years service to Connolly’s Shoes said, “It is very unfortunate that we have had to move our protest to the Connolly’s shop in Bray. We have been left with no alternative by our employer who refuses to speak to us and our union representatives and has chosen stubbornly to close his store in Dun Laoghaire rather than sit down and discuss the issues in concern. This is an action of last resort and out of pure frustration but the situation could have been resolved months ago had Mr Connolly accepted our union’s invitation to negotiate.
“Out of respect for the four employees who have put in over 110 years of service building his business, we are urging Mr Connolly to sit down and discuss the issues like a mature business owner. He cannot any longer ignore the fact that he has a responsibility to all of his employees.”
Damien Keegan, another of the sacked workers with 38 years service said, “From the beginning of this dispute all we have asked is that management discuss any cuts to our terms and conditions with our union. We always said that we recognised that in the current environment it may be necessary to look at reducing costs but it should be done in consultation with the staff representatives and not by forcing reductions in the aggressive manner chosen by our employer. We don’t feel our requests have been unreasonable considering we’ve worked for the company for best part of forty years giving it loyal service and helping to build it through good times and bad.”
He added, “Instead, when two of us refused to sign an undertaking which would implement all sorts of cuts and changes to our terms and conditions, he sacked us. Two of our colleagues stood by us when we balloted democratically for strike action and because of their stance, Mr Connolly and Mr Nevin sacked them too.”
Last week the workers delivered a petition with over 5,000 signatures to the owners of Connolly Shoes today requesting that management enter negotiations with their staff members or their representatives Mandate Trade Union.
Mr Keegan explained some of the details of the dispute, “Some of us were already working five days per week but were only getting paid for three of those days yet the owners wanted us to take a 10 percent pay cut on top of these reduced hours. This was totally unfair and it was at this point we respectfully requested that management negotiate any changes to our terms and conditions with our union Mandate.”
He added, “We have received a huge amount of support from the people of Dun Laoghaire, Bray and from other workers across the country who have heard of the treatment we have received.”
Commenting on the workers next steps, Mr Keegan said, “We are determined that we will continue our protests until we reach a fair and equitable outcome and also some recognition for the hard work we put in over the years in order to build up Mr Connolly’s business. We have no intention of just going away.”
NOTE TO EDITOR
Background to dispute
Last autumn, the workers held a strike but the action was suspended as a result of agreements reached between the workers and their employer which would see staff working reduced hours as a compromise. However, since then management have:
· Reneged on that agreement with regard to staff working a 3 day week. They have changed rosters and further reduced hours without consultation;
· Issued an ultimatum to certain staff insisting that they agree to work any roster issued by management and perform any duties that management deem necessary or else face dismissal;
· Actually dismissed two employees, each with more than 30 year’s service, for not signing this document;
· Been found guilty of breaches of the Payment of Wages Act, but have refused to pay the compensation awarded to staff;
· Continued to refuse to recognise Mandate Trade Union or to attend Labour Relations Commission or Rights Commissioners’ Hearings.
Mandate and the workers involved have made genuine efforts to resolve all of the issues with the employer in order to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. However, we have been met with continued aggression and hostility since we called off the initial strike. It’s clear that management played off the trusting nature of their employees by negotiating a settlement in order to end the dispute last autumn, and then continued with the unilateral deterioration of their terms and conditions.
The strike has been granted ‘all out strike’ status by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and has received incredible support from the public. On Friday 21 May last, hundreds of local Dun Laoghaire people, trade unionists and prominent politicians turned out in support of the workers at a public rally.