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Decency for Dunnes Workers March in Newbridge, Kildare - Report

Date: Sat, 2015-05-09 17:00

Over 100 people, mainly Dunnes workers, marched from the town hall to Dunnes Stores in Newbridge, Co. Kildare on Thursday evening as part of the Decency for Dunnes Workers campaign which focuses on decent hours and earnings, job security, fair pay and representation and right to dignity at work. Marchers included members of the Scrap Water Charges Kildare group as well as a small, smartly dressed doggy. Mandate representatives and numerous local supporters were in attendance.

Less useful were a couple of government party representatives who sidled in to place themselves either at the front of the march or beside any speakers to maximise photo opportunities. It was a fairly quiet march by Newbridge standards that could possibly have done with a bit of chanting although everyone was in good spirits throughout.

A petition was passed around during the march and an attempt was made by local councilors and Mandate reps to hand it in to Dunnes Stores management, who failed to materialise and were most likely hiding in the upstairs offices watching the demonstrators on camera.

One former Dunnes worker present suggested that the entire assembled crowd should have used the office access code (that is known to Dunnes staff) to go and have a quick chat with the management who, we've heard, have been doing their level best to intimidate trade union members as well as non-unionised staff in response to their campaign for better pay and conditions.

Maybe next time we'll get the opportunity to express ourselves to those lovely Dunnes Stores managers face to face.

In the meantime, check out this great video report of the day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS9hRSbmjic