On Friday February 18, 2017, Republican Sinn Féin issued a statement in support of the striking workers at Tesco stores and consumers not to pass the pickets:

“The strike has arisen due to the decision by Tesco’s management to scrap agreed pay and conditions for workers who were employed pre-1996 before the Tesco takeover of Quinnsworth.

“With over 700 workers taking the offered redundancy package, 250 were left on the previous 1996 contract. Management is trying to dismiss the current offer for the existing 250 workers which will result in a 15% decrease in pay and loss of other increments.
“Essentially Tesco management is trying to create division within the workplace in regards to rostering arrangements and pay.

“We fully support the striking workforce and ask consumers not to pass pickets. We are pleased that the striking workers received such support from the public today and also on February 14 when the strike began”.

Arthur Scargill, former President of the National Union of Mineworkers in Britain during the Miners’ strikes, who was in Dublin at the invitation of UNITE trade union to speak on why he believed Ireland should leave the European Union in the wake of Brexit, visited the Tesco stores in Stoneybatter and Artane. He spoke with the strikers and said that: “there is no room in the 21st century for zero hour contracts and for terms and conditions that quite frankly belong to the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries”.

Críoch / ENDS

Garrett Banks ,PRO Comhairle Laighean, Sinn Féin Phoblachtach

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