CLERYS = The Wages we need

‘Clerys, a legend in shopping and a fairytale in wages" runs one of the Placards on the picket lina outside Clery's in. Dubin. The workers have been out on strike since June 24th. Many feel they'll be out for August a well. There are more than 350. salea, éelerical and display staff fighting for union recog nition and for pay imeroadie:

Traditionally, the IUDWC (irish Unie of Distributive Waorkers-and. Clerks) has represented the distributive: trades. But many workers were critical of the lack of laachership aed the factahet thay were falling behind wages and conditions won byoother uniens. 7 his could be put down to the old guard of the WUDVIG, which with rapidly shrinking membership hes brought ‘new militant John Mitchell to head up the Union, Te date, the IUCN hes lest in PRIA and Clerys to the ITGWLU, Ot course, there is inter-union fivalry here. The (UDA is haemorrhaging ancl the ITGWL! (already lasing theagande thraugh redumdancias! must deliver the ponds-or gave up the epportunity to lincreaée members, Unions are feeting the affects of job losses and this increases competition for members, This tansian of course is completely in the emplayera” Interests, Clery’s che! exemutive, Arthur Walls, co Bx press pessirnisim about an early seatiement, and save thousands during these surrmer month, @ traditionally Slow! period for the big storts. Wienagement here is wleo determined to resist the militant approach of the ITGWU No. 2 branch - which the workers want to join - to seek wage inerdases above the ‘rational norm’ and the offer of €2.56 over 4 meanths.

Clory‘s workers are an example of the lowe rates of per week. Commission tan be gamed but this 1 wnreliable anc can bbe as low at £5 aweek.

Intareunion rivalry amd tne right of workers to join a union of their caice have complicatod & fight for The Union we want La decent basic wages. In this regard, the ITGWHU is no angrl and hes often obetrveted (aided by bureaucratic Congress rules) their former members galing te other unions.

In these times. of recession and austerity qovernment policies with serlous bong term consequences Tor trades union organisation anda stroctural weakening af the working clas, unions should be fighting together.

AL national drive amang all unions in the distributive Traces to raise the level Ireland: I2 issues £4.50p Eleewhere: I2 iseves £6.50p Wane, Ln ae ee ee ee AOGFSSR asset eee es eo yl =, ge ie er ee | ae of wages is what's needed, Moanmwhlle Clery's workers are marching up and down on het dusty days. Morse ig ferrtastie’ the secretary of the cirike commities Sean Nolan gald. ‘Peoote are determined to stay out conn! they met pw bey went oT Shee For,”

Wlessages of support, weorkplace collections, should be sent 10 :

The Secretary, Strike Committes of Glery"s, Mod Branch (TSW, Liberty Hall.

WINALE JACKSON Ce ee ee Pe ee ee

interview with HARRY FLEMING, a leader of the Ranks workers” occupation at Ranks Flour Mull in Phitsboro Dublin, July 25, SR: Harry, could you bring us up to date with where the struggle with Ranks is right now?

HF: Well, we're back in Dublin row, and the fight will continue fiom the Dub: lin site, One major boost is the full support from the Nol? branch (of the (TGWU) meeting for the blackIng of lriports ancl we're Optimistic that givan that it will go from there to the District Committee then to the Executive and we might Bet an all-out blacking and maybe we might get back under the umbrella of the Union SA: With the government tilking so much about evidence of any attempt to save your jobs by any Government bodies?

HF:—Well in relation to the ~ IDA there heave been articles in the paper purporting to come from the IDA fat thane tno money We haere a document in our hata akdreeeed to of Rani ireland Li, od iadated the Tih April. tt from the IDA ened it states they'd be only too willing to facilitate them in any way they can. So things like this have to be questioned.

SAj- There's bean a lot of confusion created by the press about your fight and your relations with the worker of Ranks Mill in Limarick. Could you explain these issues for our reader?

HF:- The situation in Limerick did tum out very ugly. To begin with we have to state that it's always been about jobs on the Dublin site. The situation was in reverse in Limerick. There were a number of people there whe had the same idea as ourselves but due to pressures being brought ta bear down there they had to donept moangtary compensation.

Unfortunately, the greater majority of the Limerick peonle: pluimped to accept é lesser deal altogether, We in Dublin could not accept that give thet even at the bottom line it wae the Lab our Court recommendation, Taking that snd some of tha unavoury things that happened dunng the Limerlek mpitoce we had people who tried to sand up en fight for jobs and the proper compensation openly intimidgted, wives being stared on the aire, tebe Dublin workers didn't lrve in take our Limerick courterparts into secount, look at thelr side-of it. Life wasn't going to be very pleaiant fer them after we left and we decided that given that we would hawe to withdrew reluctantiy. We drew up proposals for the withdravral withthe Company which the the Gampany Rave not for Gurnd since, SR Now that you're beck in Dublin how do pou see the fight to defend your jobs developing?

HF: We have a couple of things in the pipeline, Gna much broader front we do hope to organise. a meeting | with all the sit-in groups for some time in September. Wie want around the country and got the sit-in groups to sign & document. We're going to call a meeting with a view To. setting up ea central comm ittee that people in the same Htuethon s ourselves can come to for advice. At the moment thare’s Clonedalkin paper mills, Kiegdam Tubes, Carigaline Potteries, MecArdies in Dundalk, SMA. They")! afl be invited given that they are all iin Senypation at present.

SR: What is your advice te other workers whe find themselves in the same Swation a yourselves?

HF => Workers: af all costs mutt defend the jabs. There's a lot of talk about where as | cee it hewe to opens inckepencdenthy moa of the trades unlon leadership because the leadership dois appear to be lacking. Otheneise you wouldn't have workers sitling in throughout the country. [f there was diraction and leadership thers you wouldn't have a situation like that, SA:- Could you tell ua about the support you've gotten from other workers?

HF > The monetary support we've gotten from workers in general has been great. HF:- The only one you can tely on to do any fighting for you ls yourself. The union are the paople you work with, not the union fiructune as such. But the union you have within the job, that is the solidarity of the people you have with you ls what you rely on to do your fighting for you, Its sad to say that you have these structures there which should be providing advice support and so forth but thes people are letting pols qo by the theutand, bts being left up te the groups of individuals to fight thesa things themselves. Moat people by the time they estatlish where they're going they've lost half of their troops, Tha a what its al sbowt. Hf there war a DONATIONS ara urgently needed and can be sent ta:RANKS Strike Relief Fur | c/o 68 Barry Avenue, Finglas West, Dublin Ul ceereers Trustes Saving: Bank, Phiktboro, DUBLIN (Ranks Strike Relief Fund Account No: -30/30/245008)

| will be embarking en continue. _ not risen with Increases im Social welSA:- What lesions have you Frances Chance,HOPE community worker in drawn from your fight so Finglas, Dublin told’a reeent public far? meeting on unenployment , Youth Bnployweat Schemes,promoted by the Youth Emplovment Agency and The Tinglas Unemployed Action Group who cent HOPE survey which showed unemployFinglas the level rises to 31% and of these 26% assistance, This awounts to about 3,600 peaple with no job in one working class aTen ‘alone! Mcat peaple questioned on the survey were cynical about the GovJ ernment and ita policies. Quite a Tot were aWare of workers fighting. back like,in Banka, Others felt helpless.

YOUTH RIPPED OFF roundly condemned as exploitation of E Ted bank accounts, | The meeting ended with an outline of the Action Group's demands for an end to clesures and decent fobs for all.

Diet will hae to ba settled —T = a _—— — i * fare and Little has been done about it", hosted the meeting gave details ofa rewent in Finglas runing at 25%. In South are not receiving any social Youth Enpleyment achemes, promoted by the Youth Employment Agency and Manpower were young. workets, The £7/m collected through the 1% levy is used to provide cheap Iabcut ie. six months “training” work doing “normal” duties for employers at £40 per tan keep their business going for years like this, all the time fattening their | ance schemes are oot ouch better with law Standards, aex discrimination and at the end - no job! The trade unions complain but take ne action to end these abuses, Anne Speed In this regard | am sure you

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