RSF support Athy building workers

In a statement the Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein Des Dalton supports building workers in Athy, Co Kildare who say they were laid off because of their trade union membership.

Republican Sinn Féin fully supports the ongoing protest by building workers outside the Respond – Community Housing Development Scheme at Ardrew in Athy. Once again the rights of working people as set out in law are being undermined with impunity by employers.

The sub-contractor according to the builder’s union BATU is in breach of six clauses of the Registered Employment Agreement, including the right of workers to be a member of a trade union as the agreement states clearly: “They must employ the appropriate grades of trade union labour.”

Despite this workers have been locked out of the site at Ardrew, Athy, since January 30 because they are members of a trade union. The local authorities both Kildare Co Council and Athy Town Council have a clear responsibility to ensure that both the contractor and sub-contractor fully comply with all employment regulations.

Across the board the rights, pay and conditions of working people are under attack, even in cases such as this where they are supposedly protected by legislation or agreement. If the trade movement do not meet this challenge head on the hard fought rights of all workers will be lost.