Sacked for wearing a union pin

by Sean Williams - anti partnership Mon Jan 16, 2006 19:19

The message that is generated when you sign the petition is very pro partnership which is to be expected from the bureacrats/Labour. I'd advise people to amend it before they sign off, Dunnes and the rest of the employers are not our partners, I've worked for Dunnes they're viscious anti worker bastards, appeals to their 'better nature' wont work.

by Sean Williams Mon Jan 16, 2006 19:21

I read about this case back in December, what are the union going to do to escalate the dispute? Are Dunnes staff being balloted for strike action? That is what's needed, they cant be allowed to victimise shop stewards

by Damien M Mon Jan 16, 2006 21:21

For what it is worth, this is my letter of complaint to Mr. Dunne and his cohorts. I have used the details contained in the pro-partnership letter linked above to assist my draft. I have broken a key rule in letters of complaint and I suggest you do the same: Avoid an aggressive tone. Such compaines do respond to dogs (no offense meant in this analogy) that bite as harsh as their bark.

For those of you who don't have the time to write your own please consider using this alongised your own amendments where neccessary.

Joanne deserves our solidarity. Unfortuntaely I am in Warsaw and can only offer it online. But it's better than nothing I guess.

Dear Mr. Dunne,

As a former shop steward with and current member of IMPACT union, I was dismayed to read a news item recently on www.indymedia.ie that Dunnes Stores have sacked Joanne Delaney from your Crumlin store. The reason: for wearing her union badge! Freedom of speech and membership of a trade union are fundamental democratic and constitutional rights in Ireland.

Your penalisation of this worker and lack of will to negotiate with her and a MANDATE union representative is a firm indication to me that you have no interest in fairness, social responsibility, transparency, or accountability.
It is also testimony to the fact that 'social partnership' is a fallacy workers have attempted to adhere by but which you have no problem trampling on when your authoritarianism is challenged by courageous employees. As a result of employers like Dunnes Stores continuing to engage in such unjust practices there can never be a genuine honest partnership between those who history proves are intrinsically opposed social classes: you (boss) and us (workers).

Your decision to dismiss Joanne is a cowardly act which makes my friends and I reflect on your abysmal record concerning workers rights, most notably your dismissal of workers in the 1980's who refused to handle South African apartheid products. Your company should be proud to have had Joanne Delaney as an employee, a woman who is proud to wear her Mandate union badge, a symbol of her human and worker rights, on her blouse. Just as her comrades in the 80's were not intimidated by the bullying tactics of Dunnes local/senior management, Joanne Delaney, alongside her brothers and sisters in various trade unions throughout the country and world, will continue to stand up against employers like you at Dunnes, in your attempts to silence legitimate dissent and the upholding of hard-fought for employee-rights.

Due to the convenience, I had shopped at your store on George's st. Dublin over the past few years for personal and work reasons. You have now lost my custom. I call on your local/senior managment at Dunnes Stores to immediately re-instate Joanne Delaney. Until you do so I will remain in boycott of your chain's stores.

I have circulated this inspiring news of Joanne's actions, which is the very antithesis of your revolting cowardice and lack of ethics, to my extensive contact list, asking my friends to consider boycotting your stores and to spread the news of your anti-worker practices.

If you value my custom I know you will reply at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,
Damien Moran

by tamarack Tue Jan 17, 2006 09:32

Funny enough I had family in Canada mail me the link to this...

My letter was a bit shorter (especially since I've never worked for Dunnes. Thankfully). Feel free to copy.

--

Dear Mr. Dunne,

Due to the completely unjust dismissal of Joanne Delaney from the Ashleaf Shopping Centre I will no longer be shopping at Dunnes Stores. I have circulated the information found on Labour Start and Indymedia to my friends and family around Dublin.

This is obviously not a "simple case" of company policy for employee uniforms. To disallow staff from wearing a union badge (especially one so small and indiscreet) is a political campaign against union rights.

The unfair dismissal of union member Joanne Delaney has not gone unnoticed. Management would do well to remember it is *workers* who give Dunnes Stores' the most custom, and attacking union members is very bad PR indeed.

If you value my custom I am certain you will reinstate Joanne Delaney without further ado.

Yours Sincerely,

T. Hockin
Crumlin, Dublin 12

by Cirs Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:03

Is an unfair dismissal case being taken against Dunnes?

by dax Tue Jan 17, 2006 14:04

Surely you mean "discreet" not "indiscreet"

by The Count Tue Jan 17, 2006 18:43

Do not address any letters to Mr Dunne as it is his sister Margaret Heffernan who controls the Dunnes empire now.

Why have we not heard more about this?
What is mandate doing?
Start making noise we should allow workers to be bullied like this.

by rooster Wed Jan 18, 2006 13:58

what exactly are the rules on the wearing of badges? And did she knowingly break these rules? Also was she given the option to remove it before being sacked?

by Xavier Wed Jan 18, 2006 14:25

If trades unionists were to use a printflare to print copies of a leaflet outlining this issue and distribute them at their local Dunnes Stores it might be effective at, if nothing else, making the customers of this company aware of the situation.

It might also, were the same leaflet being distributed nationwide, lead to a realisation among D.S management of the level of solidarity that this worker enjoys.

I would contend that D.S are no longer immune from public opinion among their customer base given that there are a growing number of "low cost" alternatives.

by Tony Breathnach Sat Jan 21, 2006 01:08 ei5em at eircom dot net

There is hope for the future of Ireland when I see a young lady with the courage and principles to see beyond the materialism and greed that has pervaded our beloved country.
Congratulations and well done. It is a pity that some more Irish workers cannot see the importance of trade unionism and the organisation of the workforce to avoid exploitation.
So many just don't care and all they think of is their own greed without any thought for others.
Bravo Joanne!

Tony

by K.J Sat Jan 21, 2006 17:43

I am completly against Dunnes for doing this to one of its fellow Irish employees. I would like to see the motive behind this move by Dunnes.....

by iosaf mac d. Sat Jan 21, 2006 19:47

Would Dunnes Stores or "have Dunnes Stores" penalise/(d) anyone for wearing a :-
ribbon. a fainne. a pioneer badge. prenatal feet or any other often seen symbolic expression of belief or opinion?

by Ali H. Tue Jan 24, 2006 10:11

Shades of the Dunnes anti-apartheid boycott.

Time to boycott Dunnes again!

by Damien Moran - IMPACT member Tue Jan 24, 2006 18:00

Just checking out the website given in the original posting to see what updates there are re. this campaign.
The following is posted on their site:

MP proposes Early Day Motion in support of Dunnes union steward sacked for wearing a union badge

EDM 1425 IRISH MANDATE UNION AND JOANNE DELANEY19.01.2006

"That this House supports the global campaign by the Irish Mandate Union and the LabourStart website concerning Dunnes Stores, which sacked 22 year-old shop steward Joanne Delaney of the Mandate Union in November 2005 from her job at its Crumlin store in South Dublin for wearing her union badge; notes with alarm that Dunnes has refused to meet Joanne because she was accompanied by a union official; believes that this high-handed action by Dunnes contradicts the Irish system of industrial relations, which is based on a social partnership arrangement where each party respects the rights of the other; and calls on Dunnes Stores to halt its bullying tactics and immediately to re-instate Joanne Delaney."

Hodgson, Sharon
Bottomley, Peter
McGovern, Jim
Caton, Martin
Corbyn, Jeremy
Jones, Lynne
Cryer, Ann
MacNeil, Angus

The link is at
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29830&SESSION=875

In addition the have a link to a video which unfortunately I can't access from this brutal computer I am using.

Maybe someone can have a look and wirte up a brief summary of it's content?

http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=66

I'm afraid that's the only news I could find on this campaign. It would be a shame to lose track on developments (and if there are none at least it would be good to know that much).

Also wondering this has had any mainstream media coverage over the past few months?

Iosaf, also wondering if they would discriminate against a worker wearing a St. Bernard medal on their uniform, seen as they use that as a brand name on their commodities?

Had a quick look on the MANDATE website also and could find no updates.

To wszystko (That's all)

by Damien Moran - IMPACT member Wed Jan 25, 2006 13:38

A motion in suppot of Joanne Delaney was tabled at the Scottish parliament on Monday last. Why has there been no such actions taken at Dublin City Council or the Dail by Socialists/Labour/Greens/Inds.?

S2M-3858 Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP) : Support for Sacked Worker— That the Parliament believes that the chain store firm, Dunnes Stores, which has outlets throughout Scotland, has achieved a new low in European industrial relations by sacking shop steward, Joanne Delaney; notes that 22-year-old Ms Delaney was elected shop steward by her fellow members in the Ashleaf store in Crumlin, Dublin, after four years’ service with the firm, but was sacked shortly afterwards for wearing her Mandate trade union badge on her store uniform; further notes that Dunnes then compounded its anti-trade union stance by refusing to attend a meeting about the disciplinary action with Ms Delaney because she was accompanied by her trade union official; utterly condemns Dunnes’ behaviour towards Ms Delaney, believing that it directly contravenes her basic human rights of freedom of association and belief, and urges the firm to reinstate her forthwith.

Lodged on 23 January 2006


What are MANDATE doing to support this isolated and brave woman? Can the person who posted this article please inform us as to the current situation regarding Joanne's case? Are there any solidarity actions planned? Pickets of Ashleaf shopping centre. I used to live out that direction so can inform folks of events planned.
Does she actually want to go back and work in Dunnes if they reinstate her? In the event that Joanne wishes to take the issue further will the union provide her with legal aid? Is she still a member of MANDATE? In what ways have MANDATE reached out to other unions or the general public for support? Have other unions/ICTU offered support re. this issue?

These questions arise from a genuine concern that because she is one (as opposed to the GAMA workers who were many) that she may not be receiving as much support as she deserves.

Unfortunately my solidarity is limited by the fact that I am currently living in Warsaw.
Nevertheless I would like to know if there are ways I can help out or inform others as to how they may help.

For those who would like to recap the story of the sacked Dunnes Stores workers go here:

http://www.mandate.ie/South%20Africa%20article.htm

by Disgusted Wed Jan 25, 2006 13:47

Only back from there Christmas holidays today Damien. A disgrace but probably only a week or two until they are on their Easter holidays.

by Damien Moran - IMPACT member Wed Jan 25, 2006 14:12

Apologies, I just found this in my Bulk mail but I received it two days ago. I helps answer some of the above questions.
Indeed they are a lazy bunch, all the more reason for more grassroots activity re. this campaign. A good opportunity to show real solidarity with penalised workers such as Joanne. Any chance the Get Up Stand Up campaign could do a picnic in Ashleaf Shopping centre and hand out leaflets of solidarity for Joanne and inform the public about this issue?

TURN UP THE PRESSURE ON THE "WAL-MART OF IRELAND"

Last week, we asked all of you to send on messages protesting the sacking of a union shop steward who dared to wear her union badge to work.
Your response was phenomenal -- you flooded Dunnes Stores in Ireland with over 3,000 messages in the first week.

More than that -- there's been a real ripple effect here. A British Labour Party MP introduced a motion in the House of Commons supporting Mandate's campaign, and Ireland's main television news channel twice broadcast a two-minute report which talked about the impact of our international, online campaign. That report closed with Joanne Delaney, the sacked shop steward, expressing her amazement and appreciation for the campaign.

The pressure is now on for a company known as the "Wal-Mart of Ireland". This is, therefore, a critical moment -- time to turn the pressure up, not to relax, but to build the campaign.

* If you have not yet sent off a message (and 90% of those reading this message are in this category), please do so today. Go here:

http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=66

* Watch the video from Irish television and show it to others. It's on
LabourStart TV, here:

http://www.labourstart.tv

* Spread the word! Forward this email on. Tell your workmates and colleagues and fellow union members. Call people over to your desk, have them send off messages while you are standing next to them.

by CWAG - Community & Workers Action Group Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:05

Community & Workers Action Group

We met recently with Joanne who confirmed that she is fighting for her job back. She and her union need support locally to highlight her fight for justice, her case for reinstatement and the restoration of her right to operate without intimidation as shop steward and to wear her union badge.

We see in Joanne a brave and courageous 22 year old young woman fighting a huge corporate company. She cannot and must not be left isolated at local level.

We have arranged a meeting to build support for Joanne’s case for Tuesday next the 7th February at 8pm in the upstairs Lounge of the Village Inn Crumlin village. Joanne and a representative of her union Mandate will address the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting is to explore the possibility of setting up a broad based support group. This group working with Joanne can highlight her case, build public support and put pressure on Dunnes Stores to have her reinstated. The support group we envisage will comprise of local community, political and trade union activists. It would be non party political in structure and be inclusive for all to participate in.

We believe that Joanne’s case must be fought and won. Please make every effort to attend this meeting which is open to everyone who supports the rights of workers to organise.

Yours in Solidarity
CWAG

by Gregor Kerr - WSM - 1st May - pers. cap. Wed Feb 01, 2006 22:47

Anyone else having trouble Emailing Dunnes? I've got bounced messages from both dunnesstores.com and dunnes-stores.ie addresses

by Jason - Organise! Wed Feb 01, 2006 23:58 P.O. Box 505, Belfast, BT12 6BQ

Organise! have called on trade unionists, socialists, anarchists and anyone else appalled at Dunnes treatment of Joanne Delaney to support information pickets of the Dunnes stores Belfast city centre outlet and the Derry Springtown branch from 1.00pm to 2.00pm on Friday 3rd of February.

An injury to one in an injury to all!

by Jason - Organise! Sat Feb 04, 2006 12:15 organiseireland at yahoo dot ie P.O. Box 505, Belfast, BT12 6BQ

Following a very successful picket of the Dunnes city centre branch with over 60 people, joined for a time by Belfast posties on wildcat strike, there is interest in building this campaign.

We are particularly intersted in information from the Dublin support group and would ask them to email us at organiseireland.ie with a view to co-ordinating future activty. Those who attended the picket will be meeting soon to set up a Belfast support group - details to follow.

An Injury to One is an Injury to All

by CWAG - Community & Workers Action Group Sun Feb 05, 2006 00:28

The reports from the Belfast demonstration and last Thursday Georges St. picket are very encouraging. We are hosting next Tuesdays meeting with the purpose to faciliate the formation of a support group of which Joanne will have ownership. We have recieved many messages of solidarity . As stated in our post above we envisage the support group to be firmly rooted in the local community as well as with trade union and political activists.

The formation of such a grouping and through its campaiging work should give confidence to the other workers within the store as well as directing pressure on the management of Dunnes. The planning and organisation of future events, pickets and demonstrations could then be jointly arranged between Joanne, the support group and Mandate.

A statement will be issued following Tuesdays meeting.

by Worker in Dunnes Thu Dec 28, 2006 21:05

Reply to "iosaf mac d"

Yes they do actually!! I wore an xmas santa claus hat on returning from my lunch break on xmas eve, and I was brought down to the HR office and told I wouldnt be kept on permenantly because of it!! I mean come on!, Dunnes' competitors are nearly paying their staff to wear santa hats!.

by Hugh Murphy - Sacked by my union ex Belfast Docker Thu Dec 28, 2006 23:36

Why is ICTU and the entire union movement NOT rallying behind this young girl?

All Dunnes Stores employees should wear their union badges and see how many are sacked.

Let's hear Begg and McLoone pontificate about why union member can't show support for their union. After all her contributions go towards paying their wages.

All unions must protest against this injustice by instructing their families to stop shopping in Dunnes Stores. Alongside this boycott there should be a 24 hour picket - front and back, therefore stopping deliveries as well as shoppers.

If this is done Dunnes will be brought to their knees - and willing to fly the union's FLAG from every store.

Dunnes may be anti union but they're not anti profit.

Why do Trade Unions have to be forced to be Trade Unions?

What would Connolly or Larkin have thought of today's so-called - Irish Congress of Trade Unions? Everyone knows the answer to this - especially the traitors in ICTU.

They should fight for the hard won rights of workers and not be engaging in cosy partnership agreements with employers and government.

They should decide whose side they're on.

Hugh Murphy

by Ernst Udet 2nd - Jasta 11 Fri Dec 29, 2006 22:14

This looks like a repeat of Dunne's thug actions of many years ago when people were sacked for refusing to handle South African products produced using slave labour. I will not picket Dunne's, I don't need to. As I am boycotting them and shopping in Tesco. This is what people should do. Dunne's " high moral stand" will wither as soon as their beloved and cherished profits begin to fall.

Ernst