Picket in support of sacked Dunnes Shop Steward

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release

Tuesday February 07, 2006 21:08

by Sean - Organise!

IT IS HAVING AN IMPACT!

Organise! have called for another picket outside the dunnes stores branch in the Park Centre(off the Donegal Rd) in Belfast for 1 0'Clock this Friday in support of Joanne Delaney, a shop steward sacked for wearing her union badge. We are calling on all activists and groups to join this picket and picket other local dunnes stores branches!

We hope to see you there as so we can continue this momentum and to keep the pressure up.

If people cannot make it to above it would be excellent if you could hold a picket at your local Dunnes store.

It only takes a handful of people to picket a shop. E-mail us and let us know if you can hold a local one. Whatever the case, those going to the Park centre, we will see you there.

IT IS HAVING AN IMPACT!

Organise! have called for another picket outside the dunnes stores branch in the Park Centre(off the Donegal Rd) in Belfast for 1 0'Clock this Friday in support of Joanne Delaney, a shop steward sacked for wearing her union badge. We are calling on all activists and groups to join this picket and picket other local dunnes stores branches!

We hope to see you there as so we can continue this momentum and to keep the pressure up.

If people cannot make it to above it would be excellent if you could hold a picket at your local Dunnes store.

It only takes a handful of people to picket a shop. E-mail us and let us know if you can hold a local one. Whatever the case, those going to the Park centre, we will see you there.

REINSTATE JOANNE DELANEY – SACKED BY DUNNES FOR WEARING A UNION BADGE

Joanne Delaney was sacked by Dunnes stores 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 MANDATE shop steward received a letter on the 29th of November 2005 informing her that she had been dismissed by the company.
Dunnes Stores has accused her of not complying with company policy in relation to the wearing of her union badge on her uniform, despite the fact that there is nothing in the policy about wearing a union badge. Joanne had been suspended by a manager at the store since 18th October for refusing to remove the Mandate Trade Union badge from her uniform. Joanne member was advised to attend a disciplinary meeting at 6.00p.m. on Friday, 21st October . However, the meeting was cancelled due to the fact that she was accompanied by her Union Representative. The Company has continually denied Joanne the right to Union representation at meetings with management.
Responding to the dismissal, Mandy Kane, Divisional Organiser of Mandate said “This sacking is petty, vindictive and does the image of Dunnes Stores no favours whatsoever”. Its also pretty much in keeping with the anti-union record of a company that sacked workers who refused to handle goods from South Africa during the Anti-Apartheid Boycott of the mid-eighties.
Things we can do to support the re-instatement of Joanne:

Support this picket and others or organise a picket outside your local dunnes store

Get your union branch to pass a motion in support of Joanne Delaney

Send a message to Dunnes Stores management

Or alternatively pay a visit to the current management in Dunnes in your local Dunnes store to express your disgust at the action taken by the company and in support of Joanne Delaney. You can also send a message to Dunnes management at: frank.dunne@dunnesstores.com or info@dunnesstores.com
To send a standard protest letter to Dunnes management join the online campaign at Labourstart (http://www.labourstart.org

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!

ORGANISE! P.O. Box 505, Belfast, BT12 6BQ.
Email; organiseireland@yahoo.ie

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Comments (8 of 8)

Could somebody post pics / report?

by seedot

Wed Feb 08, 2006 02:15

before Saturday Morning if possible?

they could be distributed at the Ashleaf centre to show the solidarity which was discussed tonight in Crumlin.

Alright Seedot

by Davy Carlin - Organise!

Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:41

We willl try to.

Davy C in Organise! ????

by query?

Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:47

While supporting the protests against the sacking of the union activist, I was interested to see the name of the person who said he'd send in Belfast photos - 'Davy Carlin, Organise!'

Is this the famous DC, ex-SWP, now moved onto anarchism?

interested observer.

I wouldn't say famous

by DC

Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:02

But, yes, I have been an active supporter of Organise! since just before our last Dunnes Belfast picket - as I am also an activist within Street Seen.

See YA at the picket on Friday - all

Brill!

Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:07

Reading that excellent report of the Crumlin Village meeting.

Attached is report of our last Picket in Belfast.

Good solid support North and South.

Get there on Friday - AND MAKE AN IMPACT! D

How to go about organising a picket?

by P

Wed Feb 08, 2006 23:09

How do you organise a picket?
What is the purpose of the picket?
How many need to be at the picket minimum?
Are we through the picket calling for a Dunnes Stores boycott?
Can someone post on the organise leaflet so i can get an idea what info to use?

Sorry for so many questions but i am genuinely interested in organising a local picket and just want to get it right!

People before profit!

From the meeting in Crumlin

Wed Feb 08, 2006 23:48

Here's the way it was presented and agreed at the meeting in Crumlin. This is for information purposes rather than saying how a picket should be organised / carried out.

It was decided the picket would not call for a boycoot at this point. Rather, it would be an information picket, at least for the next four weeks, with the aim of calling for a boycott if Joanne was not reinstated in that period. It was felt this was the best way to build for an effective boycott call that would get a response.

Various media for distribution was discussed - stickers in the form of union badges, the letters from labourstart and personal letters of boycott that people would gain entry to the store to hand in to the manager. In the Ashleaf centre there is no entrance to a Dunnes store that is on the public road which will be a major factor in how the information will be distributed on the day. Other stores would probably suit other arrangements.

It was requested that actions by other groups be co-ordinated with the support group.

some thoughts of my own

I think the bit at the end was specific to the meeting in that labour youth have held a couple of successfull actions and are involved in the Crumlin area so that was as much a direct request to their representative at the meeting.

It is unlikely any union will get involved in a picket but motions of support from branches could make good handouts, as could reports from other events around ireland. A printer and a computer and about 6 people could undertake a solidarity picket.

A digital camera and 500 words will let you tell everybody else about it.

Thu Feb 09, 2006 13:44

You only need a half a dozen people or so to host a 'local picket - with leaflets - information etc - although the more the merrier. The city centre pickets {such as the one in Belfast} at their main premises, though can pull together many more people.

However many turn up, just be visible and get the messgae across.

Build the Momentum -

WE ARE HAVING AN IMPACT!

ATB - D

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Picket in support of sacked Dunnes Shop Steward

Comments (8 of 8)