Waterford Crystal Should Run Under Workers’ Control

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Wednesday February 11, 2009 14:56 by éirígí PRO press at eirigi dot org

éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has called for workers at the Waterford Crystal site to start producing on their own terms as the only way to safeguard their jobs.

While the occupation of the site continues, the best bid received for the company so far, from a group called Clarion, would mean the loss of 400 jobs.

A US company that has also joined the bidding wants to keep only the Waterford Crystal name and lay off all the workers.

Leeson said: “I would like to commend the workers in Waterford Crystal for their ongoing struggle to save their livelihoods. They have been an inspiration to people around the country who have already lost their jobs or are on the brink of unemployment.

“They have shown that working class people can do something in the face of this economic crisis; that they don’t have to take whatever cuts, sackings and lectures that are thrown at them by bosses and the government.”

Brian continued: “The vultures who have been hovering round what they hope is the corpse of Waterford Crystal in recent times have offered derogatory deals to the workers involved. One entails the axing of 400 jobs, while another capitalist wants to keep only the name of the company and damn the consequences for the people that work there.

“The best and most viable option for the Waterford Crystal workers is to start producing on their own terms. Many of the staff have worked at the plant for decades, they are the people best qualified to run the place.

“While the previous owners of Waterford Crystal have clearly mismanaged the company to the point of disaster, the workforce are the people best placed to put that situation right.

“At a time of economic crisis, a company as famous as Waterford Crystal being run solely for the benefit of the workforce and the community would present a real example of how working class people can pull the country out of the mess that others got us into.”
ENDS.