04/08/2009

Thomas Cook Protestors Arrested

Around 30 Thomas Cook workers, who were staging a sit-in protest at the company's Dublin store, have been arrested by Gardaí.

The arrests come as the High Court yesterday delivered a ruling yesterday ordering the workers to leave the premises by 7pm.

Workers decided to defy the ruling and continue their protest over the unscheduled closure and the redundancy package being offered by the firm.

At around 5.30am today, Gardaí entered the outlet on Grafton Street and arrested around 30 of the protestors. The arrests end a four-day sit-in at the company's Grafton Street premises.

They were taken to the Bridewell Garda Station and are expected to appear in court this afternoon.

According to reports, more than 15 police officers broke down the door of the premises and removed the protesters, including a pregnant woman.

The Thomas Cook staff vowed to defy yesterday's court injunction and continue a sit-in at the company's premises after it was closed by the firm last week, a month ahead of its proposed closure date.

A solidarity protest has been planned to go ahead this morning at 10.30am outside the office.

Gerry Doherty, General Secretary of the TSSA travel union said: "The High Court will only rule on the legality of our actions. We know we have already won the moral argument against a rich German owned company which is treating its Irish staff like second class citizens."

The company said it was offering five weeks per year of service as a redundancy package, which will drop to two weeks if the workers do not accept it.

The company also said it would enter into Labour Court hearings on condition the protest was halted.

(DW/KMcA)


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