Workers Solidarity Movement

Picket in support of Ballymun Plaza Hotel workers
5pm
Thursday 1st May
Ballymun Plaza Hotel
Ballymun

The 1st of May as International Workers’ Day dates back to the struggle for the 8-hour working day in the USA. 
In 1886 the American Federation of Labour declared that after May 1st, “8 hours shall constitute a legal days labour”. Between that declaration and May 1st workers all around the United States went on strike to make their employers agree to a shorter work day.

The Paddington Rail crash in London in 1999 led to 31 deaths and well over 400 injuries. At fault was a simple set of rail signal lights which were difficult to see (from the train driver’s point of view). When the crash was investigated it quickly emerged that Network Rail (then called Railtrack), the company responsible for rail line maintenance, had been repeatedly warned about the danger. A number of drivers had been involved in near misses and reported this to management, yet nothing was done. Then two high-speed trains collided.

Galway Council of Trade Unions have called a lunch time demo for Thursday 1st May, in University College Hospital Galway in protest against the recruitment ban, cut backs, privitisation and co-location in the health service.

Assemble outside the Art Collage, York Street

12.00

Meet at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square at 7.30pm and march to Liberty Hall.

Former airport workers, Gordon McNeill, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer suspend their hunger strike after the Unite guarantees that their demands will be met. Despite refusing to speak to the strikers face to face and embarking on a deliberate scaremongering campaign of disinformation to undermine the strike (see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87081), trade union officials from Unite at HQ at Transport House in Belfast have finally caved into the demands of the striking Airport workers.

Date: Thursday 24th April 2008
Time: 8.00pm

March for your rights at work