THE COMMUNICATIONS Workers Union (CWU) will vote this morning to decide its stance on the upcoming fiscal treaty referendum. As well as the vote on the treaty, the final day of the CWU’s biennial conference in Galway will be addressed by Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) general secretary David Begg.
Earlier, in his address to members, CWU president Gerry Cuirc voiced his concern over an escalating industrial row around the alleged denial of union rights for employees at RR Donnelley, which has already seen workers down tools for a two-day work stoppage.
“The denial by RR Donnelley of the fundamental rights of its workers to be represented by their union will not be tolerated,” said Mr Cuirc. “For too long, the Irish Government has obfuscated and frustrated the legitimate calls for union representation as a right – a right that is freely acknowledged in most of the developed world, including in the home of capitalism itself – the USA.
“Recent experiences in call centres also highlight the dangers. The CWU is determined that RR Donnelley and others will not be allowed to use the cover of ‘the recession’ to follow agendas that ignore worker rights and degrade pay and conditions.”
Despite efforts to contact RR Donnelley, no comment was available from the company.
Mr Cuirc called on Irish-based mobile phone and data operators to halt the export of customer care jobs, and for the Government to pressure them. “Our leading mobile phone and data companies have displayed a bloody-minded determination to export Irish jobs servicing Irish customers in a blind pursuit of an increased bottom line,” said Mr Cuirc.