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Envy Nightclub Workers in Sligo Vote For Strike Action
Friday 12 February 2010, 05pm
Workers at Envy, one of Sligo’s top nightclubs, have voted emphatically for industrial action due to a series of issues their employer, Rowan Heath Ltd has failed to address with them and their representatives Mandate Trade Union. The staff voted by a margin of approximately 90% in favour of strike action on the issues, some of which include:
· A reduction of their wages by up to 45%;
· A reduction in hours which has the added effect of reducing their income further;
· A failure to pay worker premiums for unsociable hours, Sundays and public holidays;
· A failure to inform workers who haven’t worked since Christmas when and if they are due to return to work;
· A failure to agree to a meeting in order to discuss the items of concern for the workers.
Mandate say they had requested a meeting with Mezzalie McGarry, who owns Envy Night Club, to discuss the issues of concern on several occasions, but so far she has refused this request. Mandate say they were left with no option but to ballot for industrial action and have now served strike notice on the company for three dates including:
· Tuesday 23 February 2010 – between 10:00pm – 03:00am;
· Wednesday, 24 February 2010 – between 10:00pm – 03:00am;
· Thursday, 25 February 2010– between 10:00pm – 03:00am.
Ciaran Campbell, Divisional Organiser for Mandate in the North Western Division said, “Whilst we accept that there may possibly be a business requirement for appropriate cost saving measures in this employment, we feel there is a genuine need to address these in a positive and meaningful way with the employees. It is Mandates contention that it is possible to have an agreed action plan that protects not only the business but also the workers’ livelihoods.
“Rowan Heath Ltd has unilaterally imposed the most incredible wage cuts – in most cases by up to 45%. They have also reduced the workers’ rostered hours without notice and failed to pay premiums for working unsocial hours, Sundays and public holidays. These are only a number of the issues that we would like to talk to this employer about but key and central is the fact that the workers haven’t worked since Christmas and haven’t been informed when they are to resume work or not.
“We were thus left with no alternative but to engage in this programme of industrial action in the hope that we might bring this unscrupulous employer to her senses and settle this dispute with its loyal employees,” concluded Mr Campbell.
James O’Reilly, who has worked in Envy nightclub for 11 years said, “It is extremely frustrating at the moment not knowing what is happening in your work life. We all know that losing a job is a terribly stressful time for anybody, particularly in this economic environment, but for an employer to refuse to inform its employees of where they stand is beyond disappointing. Especially after we, as loyal employees, helped to build up the successful business of Envy Night Club for several years.
“At the moment some of my colleagues and myself are finding it quite difficult to plan our lives because we have no idea whether we will have a steady income or not. We still have our bills to pay and we still need to feed our families but we appear to be considered by our employer to be just another business expense,” said Mr O’Reilly.