Many trade unionists around the world will remember the Dunnes Stores Strike against Apartheid which ran for almost three years from June 1984 to April 1987. In the face of an intransigent employer, the union eventually persuaded the Irish government of the day to implement economic sanctions against the old Apartheid regime in South Africa. According to Mandate Trade Union, Dunnes Stores are at it again.
This time the raging, anti-union Irish retailer (the "Wal-Mart of Ireland") has achieved a new low in union-bashing by sacking shop steward Joanne Delaney in November 2005 for wearing her union badge on her uniform. With more than four years service in the Ashleaf store in Crumlin on the south side of Dublin, the 22 year-old union member was elected shop steward by her fellow-members and says she is proud to be a trade union activist and a Mandate member.
Before sacking Joanne, Dunnes refused to attend a meeting with her because she was accompanied by her union Organiser.
Please communicate your disgust at the behaviour of Dunnes Stores by sending a protest message to Mr. Frank Dunne, the managing director of Dunnes, demanding the reinstatement of Joanne.
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=66
Please circulate this as widely as possible.
posted by Martin Wicks @ Monday, January 16, 2006
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