Locked out Greyhound workers and their partners addressed over 70 local residents at a SIPTU organised meeting in the Kilmore West Community Centre, Coolock, Dublin 15, on Wednesday (3rd September). The meeting was held for the locked out workers to explain to residents and local elected representatives the background to the industrial dispute, which is in its twelfth week, and the impact it is having on their families.Sinn Féin councillor, Ciaran O’Moore, Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor Michael O’Brien and People Before Profit Alliance councillor, John Lyons, were among those who attended the event.SIPTU worker, Ray Reilly, said: “The Greyhound workers feel it is important that local communities know what has happened to us in the weeks since we were locked out of our jobs. It has been a very hard time but we are more resolved that ever to win this dispute. The Buckley brothers, the owners of Greyhound, will not be allowed to succeed with their bullyboy tactics”. The wife of a locked out Greyhound worker, Pamela Kenny, was among those to address the meeting. She said: “This dispute is having a terrible impact on families. We don’t have money for our children’s books or uniforms. Everything is now a struggle and with Christmas now not to far away I don’t know what I’m going to tell the children when they start asking what they are going to get”.The Greyhound workers have been locked out at the west Dublin based waste disposal company since 17th June. Management at the company is attempting to force workers to accept wage cuts of up to 35% and has employed strikebreakers to carry out waste collections during the dispute. SIPTU has 80 members in the company which has a contract to collect household waste for Dublin City Council. Public meetings to discuss the Greyhound Lockout and the wider issue of ‘the race to the bottom’ in workers wages and conditions have also taken place in East Wall, Stoneybatter and Cabra. A meeting will be taking place tonight, Thursday, 4th September, in the Axis Centre, Ballymun, Dublin 11 at 7.30 p.m.
Locked out Greyhound workers address community meeting in Coolock
