Nuacht na nOibrithe

BY Justin Moran

Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has voted to take industrial action if proposed new rosters, which cut down on overtime, are introduced by the company. Dublin Bus management immediately backed down on the proposed immediate implementation of the new rosters until the New Year and further talks, but the threat of strike action remains.

Government fails Fruit of the Loom workers

Buncrana Mayor and Sinn Féin Councillor Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has accused the Government of failing the remaining workforce at Fruit of the Loom, whose closure was announced in September 2004.

"It is quite clear that the promise made by this Government to retrain the affected workers on the day of the announcement Fruit of the Loom was to make their remaining Irish workforce of 630 redundant, was an empty one. What is worse, Sinn Féin brought this matter to the Minister's attention in January of this year and nothing has happened in the intervening 10 months.

Tánaiste Mary Harney told workers in September 2004 that, "Retraining will be available to all those who will lose their jobs as a result of this announcement." But Minister Martin admitted in the Dáil under questioning from Sinn Féin's Arthur Morgan that no such training has been taken place while FÁS farms out the work to private contractors for support and advice.