Thomas Cook Grafton Street store occupied by the workers

Bandit12

Mossy Monk wrote: »

They broke the law. Why would you be happy to see the Gardaí turn a blind eye to these idiots. Double standards.

I'd rather they arrested the bankers first. That's never going to happen.:(

Nodin

Nietzschean wrote: »

Why? Company is there to make money, employee's get paid to do job, if shop doesn't make money company will close the shop. .

The company is making money elsewhere. As hit on earlier not every branch of a company that large is enjoying the same conditions. Theres no reason they couldn't have continued with a reduced operation for some time to come.

Mossy Monk wrote:

They broke the law.Why would you be happy to see the Gardaí turn a blind eye to these idiots. Double standards. .

Others have 'broken the law' in a far more nefarious manner than this, yet have done no time, nor been charged.

PCPhoto

pink13penguin wrote: »

About 20 workers were arrested at 5am this morning. They will be taking to the high court later on!

A protest will take place outside the court from 1pm to support the brave workers.

A statement read by management confirmed that they now have control of the premises!

aparently one of the pregnant women went into labour during the arrests and an ambulance had to be called.

I hope there was photographers there.

Jesus Wept

Perhaps she'll name it Thomas.

deadhead13

Why didn't the Waterford Crystal sit-in protest end in arrests and this did? Visteon workers in Northern Ireland won consensions from its parent company in a similiar protest. A Judge in the UK refused to sanction removal papers in a dispute in a wind turbine factory last week. This seems unnecessarily heavy-handed and just way OTT.

pigeonbutler

Bandit12 wrote: »

I'd rather they arrested the bankers first. That's never going to happen.:(

Have you got a specific charge in mind? Try quoting some legislation rather than venting rhetoric. And pick something could actually be successfully prosecuted...
Thankfully we don't live in a society where the State is allowed lock up unpopular people without due cause in pursuit of populist appeal. Try venezuala or Russia if that's what you're after.

These people ignored a court order that clearly told them they'd be arrested if they didn't leave the premises. Therefore ( surprise surprise), they were lifted.

If people think redundancy laws aren't offering enough protection to workers they should suggest the changes they'd like to see and campaign for that. That would be the real way to protect workers rights. Of course Boyd Barrett (one of those arrested incidentally) and the assorted lefty fringe groups prefer these confrontations as they give them a soapbox from which to preach views that would ordinarily get no support from the Irish people.

MagicMarker

No sympathy for them tbh. It'll be hilarious is they're put in prison.

Long Onion

Arrest them - it's not their shop so get out. Why should a company continue running an outlet at a loss?

If you are unhappy with the terms being offered get rid of the government - they set the statutory entitlement which is all that any company has to pay. It's the same with the corrib gas debacle - target the government for giving the gas field away in the first place. If you don't like the fact that companies act in the pursuit of profit then go live in Cuba.

In relation to the bankers issue, perhaps they will be arrested for breaching fiduciary duties, i presume the ODCE is investigating Anglo for a reason, if no charges are taken then rant and rave but in the meantime, this thread is about the Thomas Cook staff is it not?

The courts granted an order, it was carried out - no issue here that i can see.

holyjoe

PCPhoto wrote: »

aparently one of the pregnant women went into labour during the arrests and an ambulance had to be called.

I hope there was photographers there.

nice, more interested in a few extra quid than the welfare of her unborn child.

Sully

As sad is it maybe, that's what you get for giving the finger to the law. They occupied a building illegaly because they wanted more money, despite being offered more then required. The stores were closed early because the staff were going on strike. Why make a bad branch even worse? Two court orders were ignored, forcing the guards to enter and arrest despite being given hours to vacate even after the warning they would be arrested.

Is it really worth putting your unborn child at risk over this? Going into early labour while in Garda Custody? What a way to bring a child into the country. Is it really worth going to jail or having a criminal record? They have damaged themselves and will now struggle even more to get a job. Was it really worth it? Was the big cheer when they decided to piss on the judges request to get out really worth it? Was it really wise to ignore your legal team who no want nothing to do with you?

Supporting the state on this one, they over stepped the mark, they were given plenty of chances and ignored them all. Bankers got an easier ride as they, sadly, were protected. That's to those who completely wronged us. Guards did go into Anglo, so its not like a complete blind eye was turned. Sometimes laws are broken a lot more clearly then others. The guards did their job on the direct order from the state. I'm sure they would be in a lot more trouble if they also ignored the judge.

WindSock

Don't just book 'em, Thomas Cook them :pac:

TheZohanS

holyjoe wrote: »

nice, more interested in a few extra quid than the welfare of her unborn child.

• The workers were told that their jobs were safe, they were given guarantees..
• The workers agreed to a pay freeze to keep their jobs.
• Thomas Cook went back on their word and announced redundancies.
• Thomas Cook were the ones to close up shop a month early.

phasers

I didn't know that there was a Thomas Cook on Grafton Street

Long Onion

TheZohan wrote: »

• The workers were told that their jobs were safe, they were given guarantees..
• The workers agreed to a pay freeze to keep their jobs.
• Thomas Cook went back on their word and announced redundancies.
• Thomas Cook were the ones to close up shop a month early.

So what, the business wasn't making money, it was closed down and they illegally occupied the building looking for more money - the world owes no-one a living matey. Bad luck.

WindSock

I doubt the arrested pregnant woman is in unsafe hands, tbh. There are medical staff in the prison servie and she is not far from maternity hospitals. Think of the children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mossy Monk

TheZohan wrote: »

• The workers were told that their jobs were safe, they were given guarantees..
• The workers agreed to a pay freeze to keep their jobs.
• Thomas Cook went back on their word and announced redundancies.
• Thomas Cook were the ones to close up shop a month early.

Boo ****ing hoo tbh.

WindSock

phasers wrote: »

I didn't know that there was a Thomas Cook on Grafton Street

I think it is across the road from Trinity near pedestrian lights. That isn't Grafton st though, afaik.

phasers

WindSock wrote: »

I think it is across the road from Trinity near pedestrian lights. That isn't Grafton st though, afaik.

hmm, I must have a look today... I'd call that college green personally, these journos need to lrn2geography.

humanji

WindSock wrote: »

I think it is across the road from Trinity near pedestrian lights. That isn't Grafton st though, afaik.

Did it used to be a tobacconist, or is that still there?

WindSock

The tobacconist is still there. (well it was at Christmas anyway) I think it's beside it.

http://maps.google.com/

According to the map, it is Grafton. Heh. It thought Grafton was just the pedestrianised bit.

Nodin

Long Onion wrote: »

So what, the business wasn't making money, it was closed down and they illegally occupied the building looking for more money - the world owes no-one a living matey. Bad luck.

Thomas Cook chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa was given a performance-related bonus of £5 million and pay rise of 34% last year.[/B]
According to the company's 2008 annual report, Fontenla-Novoa's salary increased from a base salary of £633,000 to £850,000 for operational and strategic achievements during the October 2007 to October 2008 financial year.

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/02/02/30128/thomas-cook-chief-awarded-5m-bonus.html

damoz

Nodin wrote: »

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/02/02/30128/thomas-cook-chief-awarded-5m-bonus.html

Change the record.

Sounds like a CEO id want to run my business in a profitable manner.

holyjoe

Nodin wrote: »

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/02/02/30128/thomas-cook-chief-awarded-5m-bonus.html

my understanding is that the grafton street shop was losing money for the last 5 years even through the Peak of the boom it was still losing money.

so it wasnt even as if they were contributing to those profits!!

Red Alert

Bandit12 wrote: »

Fantastic to see our Gardai do a brave days work all the while the junkie's and lowlifes walk the city's streets everyday scottfree. What a country:mad:

The guards can only deal with junkies and lowlife if: (a) the garda sees them commit a crime, (b) a crime is reported to the gardai and they investigate or (c) the courts are looking for someone.

The Thomas Cook workers were in defiance of a court order, so the guards are required to act on it. End of story. Same way that the army is bound to uphold the rule of law and be accountable to the government.

The two are entirely unrelated.

0ubliette

Its great that the socialist wanker was on hand IMMEDIATELY to DISTRIBUTE FLYERS. That'll teach those capitalist pigs! "Oh no, theyre handing out flyers! What'll we do?! Quick, give everyone their jobs back!"

Chips Lovell

PrivateEye wrote: »

Interesting to see the list of local businesses who have donated food and supplies to the workers, ranging from Dunnes Stores (Cause we all know they love a good strike :rolleyes:) to Burdocks Chipper, Superquinn to Vodafone. Fantastic to see.

Like the Socialist Workers, they probably thought there it was a good opportunity for a PR exercise.

Carlow52

0ubliette wrote: »

...socialist wanker was on hand..

Not in Hand?:D

bakkiesbotha

Nodin wrote: »

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/02/02/30128/thomas-cook-chief-awarded-5m-bonus.html

Have you gone on holidays at any stage over the past five years? Yes?

Did you book through Thomas Cook? No?

Then shut up.

dotsman

I'm so happy. I thought that, once again, the gardai would bottle it and let the criminal socialists have their way.

I just only wish that the socialist worker/sinn fein/anarchist agitators also got arrested.

tolosenc

So wait...

The branch these people worked at was loosing money, so the group that owns it decided to close this. In doing so, they offered the workers in the branch over and above the legal requirement for a redundancy payment. Said workers think it's not enough, and begin illegally occupying the premesis. In defiance of 2 court orders, they are finally hauled out by An Garda, and will face a court hearing in relation to said law breaches.

And we're supposed to support them because?

Also, lol @ woman on radio this morning. "We're really proud of ourselves, and we're disgusted that a company would do this to their law abiding employees." [Emphasis added for maximum lullage.]