WSM.ie: Decency for Dunnes Workers March in Newbridge,
Kildare - Report by Brian Ancom (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
Over 100 people, mainly Dunnes workers, marched from the town hall to Dunnes Stores in
Newbridge, Co. Kildare on Thursday evening as part of the Decency for Dunnes Workers
campaign which focuses on decent hours and earnings, job security, fair pay and
representation and right to dignity at work. Marchers included members of the Scrap Water
Charges Kildare group as well as a small, smartly dressed doggy. Mandate representatives
and numerous local supporters were in attendance. ---- Less useful were a couple of
government party representatives who sidled in to place themselves either at the front of
the march or beside any speakers to maximise photo opportunities. It was a fairly quiet
march by Newbridge standards that could possibly have done with a bit of chanting although
everyone was in good spirits throughout.
A petition was passed around during the march and an attempt was made by local councilors
and Mandate reps to hand it in to Dunnes Stores management, who failed to materialise and
were most likely hiding in the upstairs offices watching the demonstrators on camera.
One former Dunnes worker present suggested that the entire assembled crowd should have
used the office access code (that is known to Dunnes staff) to go and have a quick chat
with the management who, we've heard, have been doing their level best to intimidate trade
union members as well as non-unionised staff in response to their campaign for better pay
and conditions.
Maybe next time we'll get the opportunity to express ourselves to those lovely Dunnes
Stores managers face to face.
In the meantime, check out this great video report of the day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS9hRSbmjic
http://www.wsm.ie/c/decency-for-dunnes-stores-newbridge-march
