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On the Argos Picket Line dublin |
worker & community struggles and protests |
feature
 Sunday December 02, 2007 03:22 by kbranno kevinbrannigan at hotmail dot com
More Like Bursting With Unrest
With only three shopping weeks left in the Christmas shopping season, the Pavilions shopping centre in Swords, Co. Dublin experienced its first bout of ‘Workers Action’ today with Argos employees, who are members of the Trade Union Mandate, abandoning their tills and making for the picket line.
Talks, which lasted until late last night, were held between Mandate and Argos management at the National Implementation Body, ended without agreement being reached resulting in today’s action.
Related Links: Mandate Trade Union | Support the workers against the bullying bosses at Dublin Bus | Attack on Trade Unionists on the rise world wide | Cultural Workers Take on Galway Property Tycoon | Strike At Dunnes Stores Cork |Postman Pat says ‘stuff your pay cut”| Our Workers' Issue Archive In 2000, Argos and Mandate agreed to negotiate wage increases on a yearly basis without being subject to social partnership. With tensions between workers and management simmering for the last few weeks as the threat of a strike grew, pressure has been put on seasonal workers and weekend employees of Argos not to join the Union for fear of loosing their jobs. The shop steward of the Swords branch of Mandate, Shane McNamara, told me how workers were even brought into management offices and had it outlined to them exactly what joining with Mandate, would mean to their future in Argos. Another feature of today’s strike was the use of “scab” labor, with Argos shipping in Welsh and English stooges to undercut their fellow workers strike for fair pay on this side of the Irish Sea. If Argos refuses to meet the Unions demands it looks likely that the 31 branches which struck today will be taking to the picket lines a few more times between now and the cutting of the Turkey. Audio to be uploaded soon |
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Comments (31 of 31)
Jump To Comment: 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1join a union that supports 12 mths temp contracts on min wage is that not reason enough for not wanting to join or associate
I am interested in the comments that the recent economic boom in Ireland has altered social values and I'm a little puzzled by the notion that those in menial, boring, "just-taking-stuff-off-a-shelf" jobs should be poorly rewarded. Since these are the worst jobs they should be highly paid. It must be relatively easy to make smutty jokes all day and report on films one watches, especially if paid £16,000 an hour to do so, much harder dealing with impatient customers and doing the same thing hour after hour.
In the 1970s I worked on a production line at Fords and the frustration levels were so high that people sabotaged the equipment and damaged the very cars they were supposed to be making. It is not easy or pleasant doing the same boring thing over and over all day long.
What were your reasons for not joining the Union?
just sacked from argos because wouldnt join union on a temp contract and minum wage just goes to show how greedy unions of today are targeting us and making sweetheart agreements with these companies
It was a one day strike. They're having another on December 18th and I for one will be supporting them in their campaign for decent pay and conditions.
Have these strikers gone back to work yet ?
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Do you seriously think that everyone who is good at their job sooner or later gets the opportunity to rise a managment position ? If you do you are just as deluded as your hero "Lord" Tebbitt.
As for paying in line with the National Wage agreement BIG ***ING DEAL. "National wage agreements" are strictly for the minimum wage plebs struggling to keep a roof over their heads (a roof which of course they dont really "deserve"). Is the salary of the CEO of Argos "in line with the National Wage agreement "? Is Bertie Ahern paid "in line with the National Wage agreements" ?
Its only a NATIONAL wage agreement when it applies to EVERYONE in the country ?
"Another feature of today’s strike was the use of “scab” labor, with Argos shipping in Welsh and English stooges to undercut their fellow workers strike for fair pay on this side of the Irish Sea. "
Oh deary me... I thought you lefties loved immigration?! The more outside workers to enter the country and take jobs & houses, the better! Vive l'Internationale, mes camarades.
Mr X of B&Q:
Strikes are not the answer in the retail sector. Strikes are rarely effective outside of monopoly suppliers of essential services, that is in the public sector. If an employee is good and not being paid properly the firm deserves to loose them to a rival. Rivalry for good staff creates a race to the top. Management level salaries in retail are quite competitive in some firms - Superquinn, Aldi and Dunnes being cases in point. What you need to do is to develop yourself to become marketable and upwardly mobile assuming you have the capacity. If you have - on yer bike. What is required to address the ills of the day are less strikes and more of the Norman Tebbitt spirit.
"I work at B & Q and our wage is little more than that at Argos, the annual pay increase is 3%, but my rent has gone up by 10% per year for the last three years"
Why argue with the hard truth that Ireland is getting more expensive and wages are not matching the increase. I don't like the term "low-skilled". I understand some jobs have arguably less physical labour, mathematical theorems, or whatever you wish to refer to in order to justify your position in the work hierarchy, but it's still somebody's livelihood and it doesn't need to be justified in terms of skills.
We all can't work at Intel and Pfizer so some of us end up working mainly in the service industry. Having worked for a British company for 2 years whilst saving up to change colleges, I have nothing but total respect for those people who are commonly referred to as "low-skilled" employees. None of this salt of the earth malark, people have to come to terms with the fact that some people in this country just want a job, a good wage and a nice place to live.
Just gets so depressing to hear people being so selfish.
The comments by those questioning the legitimacy of the Argos strikers are a depressing reflection of the thoughtless selfishness of Irish society at the moment . Workers in retail and many other unskilled jobs in the service industry work as hard as anyone else (and often have the added pleasure of having to take shit from ignorant customers who seem to mistake them for serfs). As our economy becomes increasingly driven by consumer spending and the service industry accounts for an increasingly large sector of the workforce the grievances of the workers in that industry need to be taken seriously and the fact that they are not paid a living wage is as serious a grievance as one can have.
I work at B & Q and our wage is little more than that at Argos, the annual pay increase is 3%, but my rent has gone up by 10% per year for the last three years; as the waiting list for affordable housing gets longer and longer this means the money i have to support my family gets less and less. There is a race to the bottom in terms of workers pay and conditions in the service industry, at B & Q there is an ongoing policy of trying to move as many workers as possible on to part-time contracts to avoid having to pay overtime rates, simultaneously they are phasing out the night crews and maximising part-time 'twilight crews' in order to avoid paying "unsociable hours" pay rates. the management admits that the structure of, frankly laughable, pay increases for long term experienced staff provides little by way of financial incentive for these employees. Those who pass Argos pickets in order to shop should be ashamed of themselves, the strikers are simply workers who cant afford to live on the wages being paid to them whilst landlords and other members of 'the great and good' raise their own incomes at will.
"IBEC ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON ARGOS TO BREAK THIS STRIKE AS THESE WORKERS CAN SET AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER LOW-PAID WORKERS OF HOW TO WIN PAY RISES."
Do you have any basis for the assertion about pressure from IBEC?
I doubt if ARGOS or GUS its parent company is a member of IBEC but even if they were that is not the type of outfit that IBEC is. It is primarily an employer’s organisation representing semi state companies and banks whose employees are well paid and secure. IBEC’s main role is to do with representation to Government and Partnership which it does in a reasonable and gentlemanly fashion.
For those who don't understand why they are on strike.
The Mandate union has an agreement with the company outside of partnership for annual discussions on pay. The company broke that agreement this year.
€9 an hour, even if you are working a 40 hr week represents €360 p/w. Who can live on that in this day and age? All they are looking for is an extra euro an hour. Hardly breaking the bank for a company such as argos that makes massive profits. To suggest that unskilled labour - which is still labour - is only deserving of below subsistance renumeration is ridiculous.
This is a very important battle. IBEC are putting pressure on Argos to break this strike as these workers can set an example to other low-paid workers of how to win pay rises. The question of scabbing is not about nationality. It shows that Argos/IBEC are determined to go to big expence to break this strike. So what if the scabs are English or Welsh? The point is that Mandate need to make connections with Unions in the UK and organise solidarity pickets on UK stores the next day there is a strike. Mandate also need to organise strikes with minimal notice to Argos to frustrate their attempts to use scabs. It's ironic that LY say they were supportive of these workers when their party support social partnership and wage restraint. We may even see ICTU giving into IBEC's calls to put pressure on Mandate.
I was passing Argos on Saturday and there were workers protesting outside of it so I walked over and took one of their fliers.
Now I am usually pretty keen on workers-rights and I'm all for the little guy. But I didn't really get what they were protesting about. Their flier says they're on minimum wage. Fair enough - nobody wants to be on minimum wage - but what skills do they think they bring to the job that they deserve more? Maybe I'm wrong here but the job looks highly automated and largely consists of picking stuff off the shelves in the warehouse and bringing it to the counter, either that or working a till. Its indoors, out of the weather, it isn't dirty or smelly or in any way intrinsically unpleasant in any appreciable manner. I won't say that there’s no heavy-lifting but I believe that if an item is above a certain weight Argos' policy is that they'll deliver it so that their customers don't rupture themselves trying to get it home - so the lifting is never that heavy. It seems to be fairly easy work that requires no specialist skills whatsoever.
It seemed to me that Argos workers wanted to be paid more money "just because". If they have a legitimate grievance they didn't make it in their flier.
.
This XMAS Santa wants you to curb your consumption
Live by the Bun – Die by the Bun
Drink, Be Merry & Carry a 12 Bore
will see what the story is.
Writing as an ex-pat I view the strike breaking action taken by Argos as typical example of British high handedness.
During my life there the type of person who would have taken such action would have been described as 'A smart Alec'
I have been into one of the Irish Argos store twice in the last few years and with all sincerity my last visit, will be exactly that.
Indeed once again I feel ashamed of the actions taken by
the British!
There is no strike on today
......
Spoke with one worker today and she was unaware of the 10% pay increase. Got the feeling she was in a precarious position.
Odd that the the number of strike days is at an all time low then isn't it?
There were a couple of months this year when there were no days lost to strikes.
Socialist party members in limerick were on the picket line on Crusies street, in the city centre of limerick, for about half the day.
The picket was lively, marching in a circle, chanting to inform passers-by that there was a strike on and also requesting people don't break the picket line. The SP table and sandwich board were also used by the picketers as a focal point for passers-by. Morale was high, despite torrential rain and everyone's feet suffering from frostbite. There is 100% membership of the union and there was complete respect for the picket line from the workers, though there were scabs flown in from england.
Socialist Party members were also on the vast majority of pickets in dublin etc, but i haven't hear full reports from them.
Why on earth should they get a pay rise when Argos are already paying in line with the National Wage agreement and for goodness sake, working on a til/plucking goods from the store/checking receipts and handing over products is not deserving of much more than minimum wage! If I had zero skills I wouldn't expect to be paid over the odds for my work.
I'm sure i'm not the only person who is sick of the number of strikes we have in this country.
Argos should publish how much it cost to fly in UK workers.
Did they get 'double' time?Some of them said that they did not know that were being flown
into a works dipute?
Did Argos charter or use low budget to fly in UK workers?
Did they put them up for a night?
Labour Youth visited the picket in Jervis yesterday to offer support....I don't know how the scabs sleep at night!!!!!!!!I wish them a very unhappy christmas!!!!
Nine Euro an hour and your striking???
Its not like its a skilled job !
Socialist Party Members in Drogheda visited the Argos picket in the Drogheda retail park yesterday. The picket was certainly hurting business as the store was almost empty however there was still a significant number of people passing the picket. The tradition of respecting pickets is something that has been lost due to the years of social partnership and the type of society built on the back of the celtic tiger. This needs to be rebuilt.
The strikers informed us that there were two British scabs in the Drogheda store.
Audio
Start of Interview with Mandate Shop Stewrd
Interview with Mandate Shop Steward
I'm unable to upload my audio from todays picket line. This is the message I keep getting.
Sorry, but uploads with this file extension are not allowed : VOC010.WAV
Anyone out there able to help send me an email.