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S. E. A. Statements

Trade unionists in Derry should stand firm against the arrogance of Perfectseal management

Friday 9th June 2006

In deciding to dump 56 employees without any negotiation, the company has shown contempt for the workers concerned and for trade unionists generally.

The fact that this is a local management shows the nonsense of talking about the common interests of Derry people. Bosses, local, national or multinational, are always ready to put the boot in when it suits them.

What the Perfecseal workers did was stand up for one another. When people say their action is illegal, all they mean is that it conflicts with the anti-union laws. The point of the anti-union laws is precisely to criminalise solidarity. The trade union movement should be demanding the repeal of these laws, not knuckling under to them.

In our view, the role of trade union representatives in this situation should not be to offer to mediate between the workers and the management. It should be to take a stand on the workers' side, to publicise their case and to appeal for and organise the widest possible support in order to force management to back off and give the workers the best possible chance of winning.





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