Members of the newly formed Kerry Public Service Workers Alliance picketed Fianna Fail TD Tom McEllistrim’s clinic twice in a row. On the first occasion he didn’t turn up and his mother instead fielded questions. McEllistrim, who is well known for never voicing an opinion if he can avoid it, was confronted by over 100 angry workers at a second meeting. Martin O’Grady of the KPSWA said afterwards that the TD was very evasive, and refused to give them support in having their wage cuts reversed.

“The wage cuts will result in a direct loss of over €25 million per annum to Kerry. Local businesses will suffer heavily and more jobs will be lost in a county with an unemployment rate that is twice the national average. Slashing the wages of those who have jobs will not create a single job for those seeking employment”.
In a new development, the Alliance said that it would consider running general election candidates if they could get no support from Kerry’s TDs.

12 noon, Saturday 27th February 2010 – Meet at Storm Cinema Car Park, Naas

BACKGROUND
The TEEU is in official dispute with Green Isle Foods, Naas since August 2009. This dispute is to have three wrongfully dismissed members reinstated.

• Management at Green Isle still refuses to engage with the TEEU, LRC, NIB, or accept the Labour Court Recommendation that states: The dismissals were unjustified and called for the reinstatement of the dismissed workers.

• This is despite the company having accepted Irish State Aid to the tune of €43,000,000.00

• The ICTU has granted the All-out Picket, while British strike breakers have left the company after being arrested for public disorder offences including serious assault. Irish scabs hired by Green Isle through recruitment agencies have replaced them since.

HUNGER STRIKE
Through insufferable frustration the striking workers have decided to embark on a Hunger Strike. Starting on Wednesday 17th February the Electrical Shop Steward will commence the Hunger Strike outside the plant. He will be joined by another striker one week later, then another and so on, to heighten awareness of their long running dispute and to secure the reinstatement of there wrongly dismissed colleagues.

NATIONAL RALLY & DAY OF PROTEST – 27 February 2010

The first meeting of the Kerry Public Service Workers’ Alliance took place at the beginning of December 2009. The meeting, which was attended by 10 people, had been called by trade union activists from the Teachers’ Union of Ireland in IT Tralee, in an effort to organise public service workers in Kerry against the swingeing wage cuts and levies that are being inflicted by the FF/GP government.

The turnout at that first meeting was disappointing, coming as it did the day after the most savage budget the country has seen to date, a budget that specifically targeted public servants and the services they deliver. Moreover, notices for the meeting had been distributed in almost every public service workplace, including the hospital, county council buildings, Institute of Technology, revenue and social welfare offices etc.

The discussion at the meeting centred on the need to open up lines of communication between local workers, mount resistance to the attacks on public services and force a moribund national trade union movement to make a stand. It was clear that there is a complete absence of leadership at the top of the trade union movement and that the only way to address this was through a grassroots movement of members.

Public Meeting Waterside Pub, Clondalkin 8pm, Mon 22nd February All welcome! Speakers: Cllr Gino Kenny, South Dublin County Council Cllr Brid Smith, Dublin City Council

Come to the meeting to discuss how we challenge… Water Rates Cuts in wages, welfare & community services   St Andrews Community Centre, SCR, Rialto.

2009 will be a year to remember for all the wrong reasons. The Fianna Fail/Green Government, with the collaboration of Labour/FG and the union leaders,