National - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Picket of Subway for sacking pregnant worker

national | worker & community struggles and protests | event notice

Wednesday April 01, 2009 22:43

by Padraic

jackwhite at riseup dot net

Natalia Szymanska, a young Polish woman was sacked from Subway in her fifth month of pregnancy on a dubious charge of being in breach of the company's health and safety policy. In response to this people across Ireland and Britain will be picketing local banches of Subway.

Subway Sack Young Pregnant Migrant Worker

Natalia Szymanska, a 19 year old Polish worker was sacked from her job in Subway, Belfast one month after informing her boss that she was pregnant. The grounds for firing her was that she allowed her boyfriend, also a Subway employee, into the store while she locked up so that he could walk her home. This is despite the fact that senior management previously accepted that Natalia's partner regularly came to the shop as she was pregnant. CCTV recordings and other evidence which would prove that Natalia was correct were denied to the representatives.

Despite repeated attempts by the Belfast Trades Council to engage with this employer to resolve the issue the employer remains intransigent.

SUBWAY® are responsible for ensuring that their franchised outlets are operated in accordance with the Subway Equal Opportunities policy, but they have ignored appeals from Natalia to intervene.

We call on Subway to

immediately reinstate the pregnant worker

reimburse her for loss of earnings

compensate her for the injury to feeling

treat all workers fairly

Belfast Trades Council have called a Day of Solidarity Action this Saturday 4th April from 12 - 2pm

Protest @:

Belfast: 8 Callender Street
141 Lisburn road
6 - 8 Great Victoria Street

Dublin: 47 Nassau Street

Brighton: 109 Queens Road
146 North Street
65 Western Road
26 London Road

Protests are also due to take place in Galway, Derry, Cork, Liverpool, Glasgow and London for more info on these events please contact: belfasttradescouncil@burc.org