Members of the international trade union movement signed the Clerys workers' petition, on Tuesday, 23rd June, outside the department store in O’Connell Street, Dublin. Trade unionists from Belgium, France, the UK, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Finland added their signatures to the over 15,000 already collected calling on the new owners of Clerys to immediately meet the workers.After signing the petition at lunchtime, at a stall manned by SIPTU members formerly employed in Clerys, European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions General Secretary, Harald Wiedenhofer, said: “What happened to the Clerys workers when they lost their jobs without any warning is of concern to workers everywhere.“This form of vulture capitalism can, and will, not be allowed to destroy jobs and trample over people’s dignity.”SIPTU Organiser, Teresa Hannick, said: “The overwhelming public support for the workers has reinforced their commitment to campaign on this issue until they get the respect that is due to them from the new owners of Clerys.”She added: “The support they have received from fellow workers across Europe shows the level of concern this action has provoked beyond Ireland.”A SIPTU written and online petition calling on the new owners of Clerys to meet with the former staff of the department store has received over 15,000 signatures since it was launched six days ago.
International trade unionists sign Clerys workers’ petition in Dublin
