Workers Solidarity Movement

When John Grace of Famous Fried Chicken fame is counting his money, he occasionally has to wet his finger with his tongue in order to facilitate the separation of individual notes and ensure an accurate count. Since 7th July last he has to apply spittle more often, he has received a pay-rise of over 7% thanks to a ruling by Judge Feeney of the High Court that the “Joint Labour Committee (JLC)” rates of pay for the catering industry, which are set by the Labour Court, were unconstitutional. (See table inside for more details)

Pickets escalate against the sacking of Subway migrant worker Natalia Szymanska in Belfast.

Pickets against a Subway franchise have been continuing for several weeks, despite intimidating and threatening behaviour by Subway bosses. Attempting to impose a court injunction against pickets outside its premises on Great Victoria Street and Lisburn Road.

On July 5th 2005 the IWW in Grand Rapids and the CNT in Seville called for a world wide day of action on Starbucks restaurants. We know people have many issues with Starbucks from their flagship role on Capitalist Globalisation to their overpriced cup of froth laughably posing as coffee. This day of action, though, set out not to attack the company per se. Our aim was to encourage workers within it to get organised and unionised or, at least, to start thinking about it. Specifically we were supporting the call for solidarity for Cole Dorsey fired for organising workers into the IWW in Grand rapids in the USA and Monica: organising for the CNT in Seville Spain.

In the USA they sacked a barista active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union as part of it’s ongoing offensive against employees pushing for a better wage and regular working hours. Cole Dorsey was fired after two years of service, while he was coordinating a union recruitment drive at Starbucks stores in Grand Rapids. In Spain, a barista, Monica, was fired in April from a Starbucks in Seville for her activity on behalf of her union, the National Confederation of Workers (CNT-AIT).

Following three successful pickets of Delaney’s restaurant in Belfast sacked worker Dasa Kacova has won all her demands and been offered her job back.

Belfast WSM, along with members of Organise!, trade union activists and other left groups as well as workers from Delaney's itself, took part in successful pickets outside Delaney's restaurant on Thursday and Saturday.

Workers at the Eye Cinema, Galway, members of SIPTU’s Galway No 1 branch, are in dispute with their employer - local property tycoon Gerry Barrett.