Teachers at Delfin Language School are on strike again today. PBP representatives, including Brid Smith TD, joined the picket at lunchtime for the “Picnic at the Picket”. The workers were also joined by other members of UNITE from other language schools showing there is great solidarity across the branch.
The employer has given no indication of a willingness to talk. In fact, quite the opposite.
The company is a member of Marketing English in Ireland (MEI). Last Friday MEI made a long submission to the Labour Court in relation to the establishment of a Joint Labour Committee for language schools. In its submission it denied “Widespread mistreatment of teaching staff or any of the many other people who contribute to the success of MEI members is not a reality within our membership” and strongly opposed the establishment of a JLO because they don’t want to have to deal with unions. They said
“The establishment of a JLC creates the potential for UNITE, who are unrepresentative of teachers in the sector, to achieve the imposition of collective bargaining on the ELT Sector through a ‘backdoor strategy’. This, apart from any other consideration, is counter to the Constitutional right of employers to freely choose with whom they deal, and consequently gives rise to further potential for legal challenge to the JLC concept.”
They don’t want unions but the workers are strong, determined and well organised. They will be out for two days next week. Get support going for them across the movement. Get motions passed in your job or branch and raise money for their strike fund.
