Workers from Gama walk out en masse

by jack white - Indymedia Ireland Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:56

Anyone else out there know if they're still out or what the plan is?

by james r Mon Apr 04, 2005 13:06

According to the news on the radio, five hundred have walked off the sites and they are threatening to expand the action, they are mainly Turkish and are currently at the Dail. From the News Report theres a lot of chanting.

by eeekkkk Mon Apr 04, 2005 15:06

GAMA workers stage protest in Dublin
04 April 2005 13:36

Around 200 workers from the GAMA Construction company gathered at the Spire on O'Connell Street in Dublin city centre this morning to protest over pay rates.

At 10am the workers, who were joined by Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins, began a march to Leinster House and on to Liberty Hall.

by eeekkkk Mon Apr 04, 2005 15:27

Sounds like anyone who can be around tomorrow should show support for these people. This is Historic Really. Bring on the Indymedia cameras folks.


Extract: "In an unprecedented move, workers who until now have been afraid to identify themselves publicly agreed unanimously that all Gama workers in Dublin will gather at the GPO in Dublin before holding a public meeting to demand their money and rights.

In addition, TWAG agreed that all 800 Gama workers from around the country would converge on the GPO on Tuesday before holding a second public meeting to demand action.

Despite being critical of union inaction to date, the group also agreed to seek the support of all construction unions before today’s protest.
Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins, who uncovered the Dutch accounts in Finansbank after he flew four former Gama workers to Amsterdam last week, said this week’s protests would demand that Gama inform every worker within three days of how much money has been deposited in Amsterdam in their names. The workers will also call for details of a mysterious third company called Ryder Investments into which their Dutch funds were being transferred."

Oh Yeah - Odds on Ryder having Irish Heads Involved? I Reckon Even Money. Anyone want to open a book on it?

by jim - none Mon Apr 04, 2005 18:53

not such a good idea, gama are probably watching the site, workers might want the plans kept quiet,

by eeekkkk Mon Apr 04, 2005 18:57

I'd say it's more likely theyre reading the examiner newspaper where the above is sourced from

by astro Mon Apr 04, 2005 18:57

Can't find Ryder on the irish companies register, so not in ireland then ,
could it be the geezers involved below, who knows,
but the website of

http://www.frankkryder.com/

certainly an interesting site into corporate naughtiness

by astro Mon Apr 04, 2005 19:11

This explains relevance of above, sorry

RYDER INVESTMENTS AND TRADE LLC DBA: Incorporation State: WY Initial Filing: 10/12/1998 Status: ACTIVE Standing: GOOD

Wyoming 1-5 Corporations Whose Mailing Address Is: ERNEST S. RYDER & ASSOCIATES, INC. 101 W. BROADWAY, STE 1460 SAN DIEGO, CA 92101 Registered Agent: BAILEY, STOCK & HARMON P.C. County: LARAMIE Address: 221 E. 21ST STREET CHEYENNE, WY 82001 : President: ERNEST S. RYDER 101 W BROADWAY #1460 SAN DIEGO CA 92101

cf RYDER INVESTMENTS AND TRADE LLC State: WY Initial Filing: 10/12/1998 Status: ACTIVE Address: 7173 CONSTRUCTION COURT SUITE A SAN DIEGO, CA 92121 Registered Agent: Name: GLOBAL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, INC. County: LARAMIE Address: 1605 PEBRICAN AVENUE CHEYENNE, WY 82001

found at
http://www.frankkryder.com/colinks.htm
and
http://www.frankkryder.com/reserve7.htm

by Boz Tue Apr 05, 2005 14:36

Turkish workers to target Gama site

By Michael O’Farrell, Political Reporter
HUNDREDS of angry Gama workers are today planning to target the company’s largest construction project, a Galway power station being built for the ESB in Tynagh.

Although the multinational construction firm continues to deny any wrongdoing, it was last month accused in the Dáil of siphoning millions from worker’s wages by Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins.

Until now the firm’s 800 Turkish employees, who claim they have been intimidated by the company, have been too frightened to come forward publicly.

But revelations last week that up to €40 million in worker’s wages is lying in previously unknown bank accounts in Amsterdam’s Finansbank led to yesterday’s 400-strong march on Leinster House.

And in an escalation of their demonstration the worker’s representative group - the Turkish Workers Action Group (TWAG) - last night agreed to bring their protest to Gama’s Galway site. The move comes as seven Gama workers in Tynagh were thrown out of their accommodation on Sunday night after they were identified by the company as having travelled to a meeting in Dublin on Sunday at which TWAG was formed.

http://www.examiner.ie/pport/web/Full_Story/did-sgISAp26mvYaQsglO-LCk0lQvU.asp

by Solidarity Tue Apr 05, 2005 19:34

http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2.../05ireland.html

by Michael Tue Apr 05, 2005 19:57

Just been reading a book on the economics of international terrorism (big growth industry!), and construction is an area of business many terrorist groups are involved in. Why would the company try to hide wages in bank accounts in the Netherlands? What is the money used for there?

If not to fund terror... could the money be for kickbacks to Irish politicians for awarding construction contracts left right and centre?

by James Tue Apr 05, 2005 21:00 Cork

Cork city Labour councillor John Kelleher attacked both Cllr Mick Barry and the Socialist party for putting up posters advertising ameeting for GAMA workers in the city. The labour party are more concerned with litter than workers rights.

by Sara Wed Apr 06, 2005 02:14

Here is one for the files of every conspiracy theorist fruitcake out there.

The Irish Times, self-styled paper of record, has a report on its website of todays protests. What headline will you find the report under?

"Gama says non-protesting workers faced intimidation "

Let me get this straight. The sub-editors or journalists at the Irish Times publish an article dealing with immigrant workers protesting against exploitation. Hundreds of the most vulnerable workers in this country take to the streets demanding justice from their employer and the government. Allegations are made by the workers that they have been subject to intimidation. A worker is interviewed on the evening news talking about how he was fired for protesting. The company confirms its plan to send 140 of its employees back to Turkey despite the ongoing investigations.

Yet what do our intrepid friends at the Irish Times take as the most signicant element of the day's events? The fact that the company put out a claim that some of its workers had somehow been intimidated into protesting. Who they were supposedly intimidated by isn't made clear nor is what anyone has to gain by intimidating them into taking to the streets as opposed to intimidating them into silence.

So, leaving our conspiracy theory-loving fruitcakes aside, how did the Irish Times get this so wrong? Will the headline in tomorrow's paper contain the same deeply misleading slant? Your guess is as good as mine.

One thing is certain however. While the Irish Examiner and RTE have been taking this story seriously and focusing their reports on the real issues, the Irish Times and Irish Independent have been lagging behind.

by R. Isible Wed Apr 06, 2005 02:28

Anyone know? If not are they available through other for-profit research databases?

by zip Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:52

I think it would be very useful for people to write letters to the IT complaining about their pathetic coverage of this issue. I suppose they think that the Turkish labourers won't be reading the Irish Times but that the GAMA boss (who is on the Dublin Chamber of Commerce) and his corporate friends will.

by Madame Editor Wed Apr 06, 2005 16:01

The Breaking News section of the Irish Times now reads:

"12:38 Gama workers in meeting with Siptu officials"

by redjade Wed Apr 06, 2005 19:28

from:
http://www.briangreene.com/blog/2005/04/it-doesnt-add-up.html

In Ireland there are 21 labour inspectors for 1,600,000 workers.

And there are 50 dog wardens for 156,000 dog licences. It doesn't add up.

[....]

GAMA should be directed to stop all lock ins. To stop all lock outs. To not send any workers back to Turkey. To give their workers the correct union rates and pay slips and immediate access in Ireland to the workers newly found Dutch bank accounts that hold up to 30million Euros.

Govt. should investigate their own involvement in policing the corporate sector.

by hasan Tue Apr 12, 2005 22:46

it will be the first and last action of the Turkish Workers Action Group (TWAG) as no turkish workers will be left in Ireland if they win their case.

by R. Isible Wed Apr 13, 2005 00:35

the work is there, it has to be done. All that will change is how much profit the employers make. If they were paying the going rates for BATU members they'd /still/ be making a profit.

There is a shortage of workers in Ireland. Making sure they all get decent pay instead of /less/ pay is a way to boost the economy.

High pay, high standards.