Workers Solidarity Movement

Natalia Szymanska, a young Polish woman was sacked from Subway in her fifth month of pregnancy on a dubious charge of being in breach of the company's health and safety policy. In response to this people across Ireland and Britain will be picketing local branches of Subway, in Dublin we will be picketing the branch at 47 Nassau Street Saturday 4th April from 12 - 2pm

"Campaign in Defence of Sacked pregnant Subway Worker

Natalia Szymanska, a 19 year old polish woman, was sacked from Subway Belfast during her fifth month of pregancy on a dubious charge of being in breach of the company's health and safety policy.

Despiet repeated attempts by the Trades Council to engage with this employer to resolve the issue the employer remains intransigent.

That the very threat of a national strike was enough to force government and IBEC to change their position demonstrates the power the working class holds when we threaten to withdraw our labour. For all the media attempts to convince us we are powerless and that class struggle is a thing of the past when faced with the reality of the organised working class standing up both bosses and state were keen to avoid any confrontation that could illustrate and encourage our collective power.

Subway

6-8 Great Victoria Street,

Belfast

12.30 – 1.30 pm Friday March 27th 2009

The national strike called by ICTU should be just the first day of action in what must become a strike wave across every sector until all pay cuts are withdrawn. The super-rich can shoulder the costs of their crisis themselves.The bosses have spent months using the media to try and divide one set of workers form another and to set those still in jobs against the unemployed. They know that divided we are weak. March 30th is the moment we can throw that back in their face, a huge demonstration of class unity that can force them to back down or face the consequences.

The workers at Waterford Crystal occupying the plant are an example to us all. Rather than accept the closure of the business, the loss of all the jobs and the destruction of the area’s premier industry; workers seized the buildings making liquidation impossible for the receiver.

Organised by the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions

A public meeting to be held as part of the 2009 Anarchist Bookfair will bring together a representative of Waterford Crystal workers, an Executive member of the Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU) and a representative of the Free Education for Everyone (FEE) Campaign to discuss how workers – public and private – and students can unite against “government attempts to pin the blame for the financial crisis on the backs of ordinary workers”.

if ICTU are unwilling to take the action we should remember that the trade unions are our organisations and we should be ready to take the initiative ourselves in our own unions and in our own workplaces.

Subway
6-8 Great Victoria Street,
Belfast
12.30 – 1.30 pm Friday 27th February 2009