Up to 400 people gathered in Cork city yesterday at a rally organised as part of the national day of protest over low rates of redundancy payments, writes Olivia Kelleher.
CORK
Mr Willie Fitzpatrick of the Centre for the Unemployed in Cork summed up the mood at the protest by saying workers in the city are terrified of returning to the bleak economic climate of the 1980's.
Mr Patrick Guilfoyle of the Cork Congress of Trade Unions claimed workers are being poorly compensated for years of service. He said up to recently the word "redundant" had gone out of fashion but now it is in vogue again following recent job losses.The former president of the Cork Congress of Trade Unions, Mr Tadhg Philpott said:"It is very sad for people to have the bottom taken out of their lives. I am glad we are standing up for these people. In many cases only for severance pay workers would be on the breadline."
WATERFORD
Over 1,000 workers took to the streets in Waterford yesterday, campaigning for fair redundancy payments and showing their solidarity for workers at Peerless Rugs, Kildare and Irish Glass Bottles Ltd in Dublin writes Carol Duffy. The large crowd from many of the leading businesses in Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford and South Tipperary, including Waterford Stanley, Hasbro and Waterford Crystal, as well as representatives from the region's unions walked to John Robert's Square in the city centre.
Addressing those gathered Mr Mike Jennings, regional secretary of SIPTU, said: "The message must go out loud and clear to the Government and the employers, the trade unions in Ireland are able to talk, but if talking doesn't work, we are able to walk. And we will walk."
LIMERICK
Up to 500 workers took to the streets in Limerick to protest, writes Brian McLaughlin. The crowd was addressed by trade union officials outside IBEC headquarters in Michael Street and at the monument of Daniel O'Connell at the Crescent.
The speakers were Ms Karen O'Loughlin, secretary of the Limerick Trades Council, Mr Dan Miller, regional secretary, TEU, and Mr Seamus Quinn, chairman of the Building Trades Group.
There were also SIPTU representatives from Nenagh, Shannon and Tipperary town and members of Mandate at the rally. Construction work on some sites was disrupted as workers took part in the protest. Mr Michael Long, Limerick SIPTU branch secretary, said they were very pleased with the numbers and there was no traffic disruption and emergency services worked as normal.
"This is a beginning of something that we will see again if progress does not take place in talks on the successor to the present Programme of Prosperity and Fairness," Mr Long said.
GALWAY
"When we're at our boldest, we're at our best." Quoting the British prime minister, Mr Tony Blair, Mr Jim Cotter of the Galway Council of Trade Unions led a public demonstration in support of the Irish Glass Bottle Workers around Eyre Square yesterday, writes Lorna Siggins.
An estimated 300 members of various unions took part in the demonstration. A large contingent had travelled from Ballinasloe in east Galway - a town which has sustained heavy job losses through closures, including that of the pen manufacturer AT Cross.
Mr Cotter, president of the Galway Council of Trade Unions, said countries which were less economically well off than Ireland could afford to pay more than the current payment here.
Mr Michael Kilcoyne, branch secretary of SIPTU, said the Government's attitude was "pathetic", and criticised the fact that loyal workers could find themselves with only €123 for every year of service when made redundant.