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Support
the Irish Glass Bottle Workers March: Saturday 20th
July 12 noon
- Assemble at Liberty Hall
The
Irish Glass Bottle Company (IGB) was officially closed
down by the management on the 5th of July with almost
400 jobs lost. The workers are continuing their fight
for decent redundancy payments with an occupation
of the plant, pickets, etc. The Company was a traditional
Dockland employer. Many of those who lost their jobs
lived locally in Ringsend, but some also came from
East Wall and the North side of the river.
In
the weeks leading up to the closure the workers had
held a sit-in at the plant. At this stage there was
no question of their jobs being saved - it was obvious
that management were going to shut the plant no matter
what - this was simply a demand for reasonable redundancy
payments. The Labour Court has recommended five weeks
pay per year of service. The company has refused to
pay this, instead only offering a half-week pay per
year. (If any group of workers rejected a Labour Court
recommendation in this way they would be condemned
by the media and politicians. With a few notable exceptions
these are strangely silent now). This dispute is simply
about workers demanding their rights, to be treated
with the respect they deserve in opposition to greedy
businessmen with their own agenda.
What
is the company's agenda?
The
events leading up to the current situation display
the actions of a company with a hidden agenda and
a serious anti-worker attitude. Earlier this year
the company announced that it was in financial difficulties.
At this time the workers agreed to a rationalization
and re-organisation deal to the help save the company.
The company chairman admitted that this was the best
deal any management could get, however the company
was intent on closing down anyhow. This came as a
shock to the workers, many who have given up to thirty
years service.
IGB
is part of the multinational Ardagh Plc. Ardagh is
hugely successful and profitable, it made a trading
profit of 37.5 million euro in the year ending 31st
Dec 2000. At the same time as the closure of the Ringsend
plant was being planned the company was buying up
plants in England, Scotland and Italy. In Italy they
bought a glass factory, Consumers Glass in Teramo,
for Euro 3m. One of the plants in England closed down
only to re-open with non-union staff. The stated financial
reasons for the closure in Ringsend are lies.
The
IGB site is amongst the most valuable land in the
country. The business men responsible for Ardagh,
and their political cronies, have some plans for this
area. These will undoubtedly become apparent in the
near future. Recent tribunals and scandals have shown
that this class of people is always scheming in the
background, with no regard for who suffers from their
actions.
Recycling?
IGB
was the only glass recycling company in the country.
The company had the capability to recycle 250 tonnes
of glass per day. Its closure represents a drop of
30% of all recycling in Ireland. This is incredible,
coming at a time when waste management is a major
political issue. The Government is supposedly committed
to recycling, yet has failed to intervene in the whole
IGB controversy. What should be a key component in
a national recycling strategy is allowed to close
up shop with no alternative on offer.
What
the workers want
The
workers at IGB are not making any unreasonable demands.
They are quite simply demanding that they be treated
with respect. They do not wish to be thrown on the
scrap heap. Instead, they want what is due to them
as agreed by the Labour Court.
They
are asking for your support -
Support
the Irish Glass Bottle Workers
March: Saturday 20th July
12 noon - Assemble at Liberty Hall
On
both sides of the Liffey, be it the Anti-Community
Spencer Dock Development or the Anti-Worker IGB management,
ordinary people are being forced to suffer because
of the greedy few. It is important that this is challenged.
Issued
by:
Working Class Action
Email:workingclassaction@eircom.net
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