Support for Calcast workers sit-in, Derry, N Ireland
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Author:
n/a -
Send To:
Management of Montupet SA
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Sponsored By:
People Before Profit Alliance, Derry -
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We wish to express our support for and solidarity with the sit-in by workers at the Calcast factory in Campsie, Derry, N Ireland and demand that they receive a decent redundancy settlement.
The factory, which is owned by Montupet SA, is due to close and 102 workers are set to lose their jobs. On Monday 24 November 2008 the company announced that 90 workers were being made redundant, so avoiding a legal obligation to give 90 days notice of redundancy which would be triggered if more than 99 workers were involved.
The workers justly believe that the announcement of 90 redundancies is a cynical attempt by Montupet to avoid paying them for the 90 days notice period. All 102 workers will be losing their jobs. As a result they are only entitled to 30 days notice and the company has only offered 1 weeks pay for each year of employment, the legal minimum.
Compare this to the 6 weeks for each year of service that workers at Seagate in Limavady were offered when that factory closed earlier this year.
The workers estimate that paying them the full 90 days notice would cost Montupet in the region of 200,000. Montupet in Northern Ireland, which includes a plant in Dunmurray, outside Belfast, made over 5.7 million in profits in 2005 and 2006.*
The workers at Calcast rightly reacted to this disgraceful announcement by deciding to sit-in at the factory. They will continue to turn up for shifts, but are sitting in the canteen, refusing to finish existing orders and to prevent any machinery being moved out of the factory until Montupet meet their demands. Montupets initial reaction to this disciplined collective action was to break off negotiations with trade union representatives and raise the threat of legal action.
We believe that the treatment of these workers is nothing short of disgraceful and we fully support their action and their demands.
*Source: www.businesscheck.info/businesseye.pdf
The factory, which is owned by Montupet SA, is due to close and 102 workers are set to lose their jobs. On Monday 24 November 2008 the company announced that 90 workers were being made redundant, so avoiding a legal obligation to give 90 days notice of redundancy which would be triggered if more than 99 workers were involved.
The workers justly believe that the announcement of 90 redundancies is a cynical attempt by Montupet to avoid paying them for the 90 days notice period. All 102 workers will be losing their jobs. As a result they are only entitled to 30 days notice and the company has only offered 1 weeks pay for each year of employment, the legal minimum.
Compare this to the 6 weeks for each year of service that workers at Seagate in Limavady were offered when that factory closed earlier this year.
The workers estimate that paying them the full 90 days notice would cost Montupet in the region of 200,000. Montupet in Northern Ireland, which includes a plant in Dunmurray, outside Belfast, made over 5.7 million in profits in 2005 and 2006.*
The workers at Calcast rightly reacted to this disgraceful announcement by deciding to sit-in at the factory. They will continue to turn up for shifts, but are sitting in the canteen, refusing to finish existing orders and to prevent any machinery being moved out of the factory until Montupet meet their demands. Montupets initial reaction to this disciplined collective action was to break off negotiations with trade union representatives and raise the threat of legal action.
We believe that the treatment of these workers is nothing short of disgraceful and we fully support their action and their demands.
*Source: www.businesscheck.info/businesseye.pdf
136 Signatures
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Colm Bryce, Derry
- Comments
- Solidarity with the Calcast workers
- Trade Union
- UNITE
- Position held (if any)
- В
- Post Code
- BT48 9JE
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Gordon Hewitt
- Post Code
- BT48 6TG
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paul harkin
- Comments
- Bua
- Trade Union
- Carpenters local13 Chicago
- Post Code
- 60067
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Mary
- Post Code
- 60174
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Irene Cahill
- Comments
- I support the workers.
- Trade Union
- Teamsters Local 580, Michigan
- Position held (if any)
- Member and Steward
- Post Code
- 48843
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Marian Farrell
- Post Code
- BT48 0ER
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David Doherty
- Post Code
- BT48
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dette mc loughlin
- Comments
- i fully support the workers sit-in
- Trade Union
- mandate
- Post Code
- roi
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Jim Casey
- Comments
- Best wishes comrades - your fight is our fight.
- Trade Union
- Fire Brigade Employees Union (NSW Australia)
- Position held (if any)
- Senior Vice President
- Post Code
- 2010
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Bob Miller
- Trade Union
- NUJ
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- NEC member and Chair Belfast Branch
- Post Code
- BT41 1BD
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Brian Kelly
- Trade Union
- UCU Belfast
- Post Code
- BTX 6XX
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Roisin O'Hara
- Post Code
- E5 8NS
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Brid Smith
- Comments
- Well done for fighting back
- Trade Union
- Unite
- Position held (if any)
- Tutor
- Post Code
- Dublin 12
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Roderick Cobley
- Trade Union
- CWU
- Post Code
- E11 4HA
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Matthew Collins
- Trade Union
- NUS-USI
- Position held (if any)
- Education and Welfare Officer(personal capacity)
- Post Code
- BT10OJQ
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Koldobika Larrea
- Trade Union
- INTO
- Post Code
- BT48 0HQ
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Edel Harkin
- Post Code
- BT48 6PP
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dave duggan
- Trade Union
- irish writers union
- Post Code
- bt48 7jw
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Shane OCURRY
- Comments
- a bit of respect, please.
- Trade Union
- UNITE
- Post Code
- BT487JN
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Dr. Bruce E. Baker
- Trade Union
- University and College Union
- Position held (if any)
- Membership Secretary, RHUL branch
- Post Code
- TW20 9QR
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Hossam el-Hamalawy
- Comments
- В
- Trade Union
- В
- Position held (if any)
- Egyptian Journalist
- Post Code
- Cairo
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Terry Robson
- Post Code
- BT480LH
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barbara muldoon
- Comments
- Solidarity in your struggle for justice!!
- Post Code
- BT6 0HN
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Mary Kay Mullan
- Comments
- Solidarity with the workers in achieving their just redundancy
- Trade Union
- Unison
- Post Code
- BT48 0ER
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Connor Seamus Kelly
- Comments
- Workers of all countries unite!
- Trade Union
- NUJ
- Post Code
- BT48 8HN
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WENDY MC CLOSKEY
- Post Code
- BT47 4BF
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Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh
- Post Code
- BT71 6BE
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Joe McGuiggan
- Trade Union
- NIPSA
- Post Code
- BT48 9AY
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Yvonne Harkin
- Post Code
- BT48 OHW
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Kate McCabe
- Comments
- В
- Trade Union
- В
- Position held (if any)
- President, Irish American Unity Conference
- Post Code
- 48103
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Professor Phil Scraton
- Comments
- A full and fair redundancy package is the least Montupet should provide in the circumstances. What is on offer is minimal and unacceptable.
- Trade Union
- UCU
- Post Code
- BT7 1NN
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teresa degenhardt
- Position held (if any)
- lecturer
- Post Code
- BT7 1LP
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Oisнn MacEo
- Comments
- go n-йirigh libh
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- BT48 0ND
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will mcmahon
- Post Code
- E5 0DY
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Shaun Harkin
- Comments
- Solidarity from Chicago - Yes we can!
- Post Code
- 60623
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eilish rooney
- Post Code
- bt37 0qb
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Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh
- Post Code
- Bt12 7fx
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Professor John Pinkerton
- Trade Union
- UCU
- Position held (if any)
- Branch Committee Member
- Post Code
- BT9 6HP
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Jimmy Donaghey
- Trade Union
- Queen's UCU
- Position held (if any)
- Local Issues Secretary
- Post Code
- BT7 1NN
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Ciarбn У Brolchбin
- Comments
- Nн neart go cur le chйile
- Trade Union
- UNISON
- Post Code
- BT12
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stephen j winkels
- Comments
- When trade unions are attacked this is the first sign of democracy in decline. This is the first thing the Nazis did when they came to pwoer.
- Post Code
- 55343
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Liabhron Ni Chaomhanaigh
- Post Code
- BT48 0LT
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Liam O Caomhanaigh
- Post Code
- BT48 0LT
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Mбirtнn У Cathбin
- Trade Union
- UCU and SOLFED
- Post Code
- PR1, 2HE.
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Kristin Bumiller
- Post Code
- USA 01002
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Frankie Brennan
- Post Code
- BT5 4PE
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A Ince
- Comments
- В
- Trade Union
- IWW
- Position held (if any)
- В
- Post Code
- E2 6GE
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Abby Oliveira
- Trade Union
- Moral Justice
- Post Code
- BT47 5RD
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Danny Brown
- Comments
- It's important to fight back now. It'll be too late later.
- Trade Union
- NUJ
- Post Code
- Dъn na nGall
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Mark Campbell
- Trade Union
- UCU
- Position held (if any)
- NEC
- Post Code
- E11 3AF
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136
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