At the same time that 1000+ protested under the Cost of Living Coalition banner against evictions in Dublin, in Ballinasloe Co Galway the Mandate members in the Corrib Oil outlet were fighting back against the cost of living increases together in the most powerful and direct way any of us can: they went on strike.
This was the only strike in Ireland on the 1st. It was their third one-day action. Pickets went up at 6:30am and went on until 10pm.
People Before Profit had supporters from their Trade Union Department, visits from the local People Before Profit branch and even a whistlestop visit from Dublin Bay North rep Bernard Mulvany who hails from the area and had just come from the national Cost of Living Coalition’s ‘Evict the Government’ Protest in Dublin.
The owners have seen Mandate’s one-day pickets twice before on 28.1.23 and 22.12.22. The bosses have acted to lessen the power of the union’s tactic since the union’s last one in late January.
Here’s how some strikers and supporters said management have reported observing:
- They ‘managed out’ a few known union members who were under a year’s time by reducing their hours.
- They brought in non-union workers temporarily from other nearby stores to replace them until local replacements could be hired.
- They’ve hired new staff mostly on under-18s pay.
- They’ve attempted disciplinaries on known members.
- They’ve criticised the union for having supporters on the picket line, falsely suggesting that pickets can’t have supporters. Actually it’s every person’s right to protest.
- They assigned workers from other shops in the chain to work in Ballinasloe on the day of the strike.
- They parked a large empty lorry between the picket on the footpath and the forecourt (see photo from main article from Mandate or below).
- They reduced their prices by 5c on fuels on the day.
Despite all this the picket held strong and turned away the vast majority of would-be customers both in cars and out walking.
The bosses know that the power lies with the workers. Based on the variety of tactics they are obviously taking outside advice on how to weaken the visible power of the workers and the obvious sympathy people have to their cause.
The bosses’ counter tactics could have been effective, but the tight community and clear understanding amongst workers translated into overwhelming support for the workers’ simple cause: their request for their natural democratic right to trade union representation.
The union can win by continuing to organise more workers in that shop and across the Corrib and H2 chain while building more support in the communities. Bosses hate unions that fight but they also hate fighting unions. They’ll be talking to other business owners for anti-union advice to end this quickly. They’ll also be leaning on their legal right to refuse to deal with unions, even if that right is an EU-outlier and deeply unjust in and Ireland with a growing gap between rich and poor.
Workers have no alternative to fighting except losing out even more. The bosses are not going to quit but they can be beaten. Ultimately workers have the power to win if they analyse the bosses approach and follow a strategy that unites the workers and really put the pressure on the bosses. Is it difficult? Of course. But it is well within their grasp if they use all their support – and as we saw on Saturday – they have community, their national union network and People Before Profit with them.
And there’s more: every organised worker North and South is with them too, just as everyone suffering with the Cost of Living Crisis. United the workers cannot be defeated.
Show your organisation’s support today. Write to Mandate today directly or [email protected] to talk about how you can get involved to show your support for the workers.
