Dé Céadaoin, Lúnasa 19, 2009

Tugann Oibrithe Phort BÁC Dúshlán do Bhatalach MTL
19/08/09

(English version follows.)

Tá oibrithe ag Port Bhaile Átha Cliath amuigh ar stailc le seacht seachtain anuas as siocair iarrachtaí á bhfostóirí iomarcaíocht éigeantach agus giorruithe i bpá agus coinníollacha a fhorhur ar an lucht oibre.

Ag croílár an aighnis tá comhlacht bunaithe sa Bhreatain, Peel Ports, a chuaigh i mbun oibriú an chríochfhoirt go mall anuraidh. Roimh chúpla mí, chinn Peel Ports Group ar 19 oibrí a dhéanamh iomarcach i muinín saobhthrialacha inniúlachta. D’éiligh na trialacha seo ar oibrithe a scileanna a léiriú, ina measc bhí úsáid innealra nach bhfuair cuid acu traenáil le bheith á n-oibriú. Fuair an fhoireann a bhí fágtha litreacha ón chomhlacht ag insint dóibh go raibh orthu conarthaí nua a shíniú ag glacadh le giorruithe pá idir 14 agus 18 faoin chéad nó dul i ngleic le briseadh.

Ag tabhairt aghaidh ar ionsaí trom ar a gcoinníollacha oibre, chaith na hoibrithe a n-uirlisí síos agus chuaigh ar stailc.

Ó shin d’eagraigh na hoibrithe agus d’éirigh leo tacaíocht a shlógadh ó phobail áitiúla, ó cheardchumainn agus ó pháirtithe polaitiúla. Bhí cúpla mórshiúl agóide ann, an ceann is déanaí 10ú Lúnasa leis na céadta de lucht taca i láthair. Dé Luain [17ú Lúnasa] ghlac na hoibrithe an agóid isteach chuig croílár cheantar airgeadais Átha Cliath agus iad ag déanamh agóide lasmuigh de fhoirgneamh Deutsche Bank, ar leo scoir 49 faoin chéad sa Peel Ports Group.

Is é freagra Peel Ports Group ar an stailc ná bristeoirí stailce a thabhairt isteach ar an suíomh agus comhlacht slándála a fhostú, Control Risks, a fheidhmíonn san Iaráic agus san Afganastáin ar mhaithe le fórsaí forghabhála Sasana agus SAM. Fostaíonn Control Risks iarphearsana míleata na Breataine don chuid is mó, iarbhaill de reisimint mhíchlúiteach an SAS san áireamh.

Ag caint ar an stailc, dúirt cathaoirleach éirígí Brian Leeson: “Tacaíonn éirígí go hiomlán leis na hoibrithe ina stailc. Níor chóir ligean do chomhlacht, dúchásach ná eachtrach, iompar sa bhealach ina bhfuil Peel Ports Group. Ag am nuair atá pá agus coinníollacha oibrithe faoi ionsaí ag stát na Sé Chondae Fichead, tá sé iomlán doghlactha gur féidir le comhlacht phríobhaideach ionsaí a dhéanamh ar phá agus ar choinníollacha oibrithe freisin.

“Tá cinneadh cróga glactha ag na hoibrithe ar stailc ag Port Bhaile Átha Cliath agus is cúis misnigh é pobail lucht oibre ón lárchathair thuaidh agus theas a fheiceáil ag tacú leo ina streachailt. Bhí an Port Thuaidh mar láthair do cheann de na himeachtaí is clúití i nua-stair na hÉireann – Frithdhúnadh 1913. Cé go bhfuil na huimhreacha inniu níos lú, tá an prionsabal fós mar an gcéanna; aithniú na gceardchumann, agus chearta oibrithe ar choinnoíllacha oibre agus ar phá cothrom.”

Lean Brian: “An chomparáid eile ó 1913 ná bagairt an fhoréigin ag teacht ón chomhlacht i bhfoirm á ngnó slándála príobháidigh. Níl áit in Éirinn do chomhlacht a fhostaíonn amhais le forghabháil na hIaráice agus na hAfganastáine a mhaoirseacht. Chonaic muid le gníomhaíochtaí IRMS i Maigh Eo cad é a tharlaíonn nuair a thugtar cead an cinn do chomhlachtaí slándála príobháideacha.

“Bhí gníomhaígh éirígí ar an talamh ag tacú leis na hagóidí agus leanfaidh linn go dtí do ngéillfear éilimh na n-oibrithe.”

I measc imeachtaí le teacht ag baint leis an feachtas tá:


Dé Sathairn 22ú Lúnasa, 8in: Imeacht shóisialta, Seabank House, Bóthar an Phoirt Thoir, BÁC 3.
Dé Luain 24ú Lúnasa, 10.30am: Mórshiúl agóide go MTL. Bailigh ag Ray’s Shop, Bóthar Sheáin Moore, An Rinn, BÁC 2, nó ag Scoil Iosáif, Br an Phoirt Thoir, BÁC 3.

Le haghaigh tuilleadh eolais ar an feachtas, logáil ar www.mtldockers.com



Dublin Port Workers Defy MTL Bully-Boy Tactics

Workers at Dublin Port have been out on strike for the previous seven weeks over attempts by their employers to impose compulsory redundancies and cuts in the pay and conditions of the workforce.

At the centre of the dispute is British-based company Peel Ports, who took over the running of the Port terminal late last year. Within months, Peel Ports Group decided to make 19 workers redundant based on spurious ‘aptitude tests’. These tests required employees to demonstrate their skills, including using machinery that some of them had received no training in operating. The remaining staff received letters from the company telling them they must sign new contracts agreeing to pay cuts of between 14 and 18 per cent or face dismissal.

Faced with a serious assault on their working conditions, the workers downed tools and went out on strike.

Since then the workers have organised and managed to mobilise support from local communities, trade unions and political parties. Several protest marches have been held, the most recent, on August 10, was attended by several hundred supporters. Monday [August 17] also saw the workers bring their protest into the heart of Dublin’s financial district as they protested outside the premises of Deutsche Bank, who own a 49 per cent stake in Peel Ports Group.

Peel Ports Group have reacted to the strike by introducing scab labour to the site and employed a security company, Control Risks, who operate in Iraq and Afghanistan on behalf of the US and British occupation forces. Control Risks employ mainly ex-British military figures, including former members of the notorious SAS regiment.

Commenting on the strike, éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson said: “éirígí fully supports the workers in their strike action. No company, foreign or indigenous, should be allowed to carry on in the manner in which Peel Ports Group have. At a time when the wages and conditions of workers are being attacked by the Twenty-Six County state, it is completely unacceptable that a private company is allowed to attack workers wages and conditions also.

“The workers out on strike at Dublin Port have taken a courageous decision and it is heartening to see the working class communities of the north and south inner-cities supporting them in their struggle. The North Wall was the scene to one of the most famous events in modern Irish history – The Lockout of 1913. Although the numbers involved today may be smaller, the principle remains the same; recognition of unions, and the rights of workers to fair pay and working conditions.”

Brian continued: “The other parallel from 1913 is the threat of violence emanating from the company in the form of their private security firm. A company which employs mercenaries to oversee the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan has no place in Ireland. We have seen from the activities of IRMS in Mayo what happens when private security companies are allowed a free rein.

“éirígí activists have been on the ground supporting the protests and will continue to do so until we see the granting of the workers’ demands.”

Future events connected with the campaign include:


Saturday, August 22, 8pm: Social event, Seabank House, East Wall Road, Dublin 3.
Monday, August 24, 10.30am: Protest march to MTL. Meet at Ray’s Shop , Sean Moore Road , Ringsend , Dublin 2 or St. Joseph’s School, East Wall Road, Dublin 3.

For more information on the campaign, log on to www.mtldockers.com

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