INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRELAND:

HUNGER STRIKE IN COUNTY KILDARE:

Workers at Green Isle Foods, County Kildare Ireland, have been on strike for six months, and some workers are now resorting to a hunger strike to try and make the company see reason. They are asking for your support. Here's the story and appeal from the online labour solidarity site Labour Start. The strikers also have a strike website that you can access here.

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Ireland: Trade unionists on hunger strike at Green Isle Foods:

Two trade unionists are on hunger strike outside the Green Isle Foods plant in Naas, Co Kildare, Ireland. They are members of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union. The first of the men began his hunger strike on February 17th, the second on February 24th, a third will join them on March 3rd. They embarked on this action after being left on the picket line for six months because the company, a wholly owned subsidiary of British based conglomerate Northern Foods, rejected every initiative of the Irish state's industrial relations machinery to resolve their dispute. The dispute began over the unfair dismissal of three TEEU members and the company's refusal to recognise the union. It has also refused to accept an Irish Labour Court recommendation that it reinstate the dismissed workers with compensation for lost earnings or pay them €160,000 compensation for the loss of their jobs. Since the hunger strike began the company has finally engaged in talks but we know there will only be a successful outcome if we can increase the pressure generated by the heroic action of these men.

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The Letter:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to management at Green Isle Foods.

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I will not be putting any more Northern Foods products such as Goodfellas and San Marco pizza, Donegal Catch, Dalepak or Green Isle frozen vegetables in my shopping trolley while this company behaves so callously towards its own employees. It should be ashamed that its behaviour has forced employees to resort to hunger strikes before it will engage with them and their union, and that it has rejected all attempts by the industrial relations machinery of the Irish state, including the Irish Labour Court to resolve this dispute. Recognise the men's right to be in a union and respect the Labour Court's findings if you want my business back.