Athy factory occupation

As we go to press, workers are still occupying Peerless Rugs in Athy. The plant had closed on July 4th, with management promising more than the legal minimum redundancy pay. Workers had been with the firm for between 14 and 28 years.

However, as the plant shut down management broke their word. Nothing would be paid, not even the legal redundancy payments. It was also discovered that the workers' savings scheme had been looted, their money had been stolen by the bosses.

The workers locked management into the factory until they agreed to talk. The Labour Court recommended three weeks pay for every year worked, as well as the statutory payment, which the workers accepted. Management reneged once again, and the workers took over the factory to stop assets being removed.

"The machinery in the plant is the only card left to us," said June O'Brien. "We will stay here as long as we have to."

Needless to say, the Gardai have not pulled in the bosses and questioned them about theft. Truly there is one law for them and another for the rest of us.

This page is from the print version of the Irish Anarchist paper 'Workers Solidarity'. We also provide a PDF file of the latest edition (with pictures) for you to print out and distribute locally

You can find out when new issues of the paper come out by joining the Ainriail list

This edition is No66 published in September 2001

Part of the pages of the
Workers Solidarity Movement

[Main Index][About WSM][Join]
[Contact Us][Publications][Position papers]