Workers’ Party congratulates Clery’s workers on forcing a deal
Workers’ Party councillor Éilis Ryan has congratulated Clery’s workers on their 21-month battle for fair treatment after they were made redundant following the liquidation of the former retail store.
Cllr Ryan (North Inner City Dublin) said:
I am fully of the opinion that we would not be witnessing a company with as much power as Natrium bowing down to workers’ demands today, if it were not for the courageous campaign led by former Clery’s workers over the past two years.
The Councillor gave a cautious welcome to the commitments to ensure workers’ rights at the new development. However she warned that the success of the broader deal struck between SIPTU and Natrium will hinge on whether it has ‘teeth,’ saying:
It is critical that we make sure trade unions and workers have a seat at the table in implementing and overseeing the broader community benefit aspects of the deal. In particular, we must ensure that community employment opportunities do not focus merely on quantity of jobs, but push for high-quality and unionised jobs.
She concluded:
Too often we have seen ‘community benefit clauses’ being used as window dressing for developments that in reality do more harm than good. It is incumbent on us all to now take the lead from Clery’s workers and prevent this from happening at the Clery’s development.