Strike in Musgrave’s Warehouse

Following allegations of successive acts of discrimination by the management of Musgrave’s Warehouse in Dublin, a spontaneous strike involving migrant and Irish workers took place on 27 April.
The Musgrave company owns Supervalu as well as the chain of Centra and Londis franchises. They also have operations across Spain and Britain.
Approximately 50% of employees in the warehouse are migrant workers employed through an agency. These workers, most of whom are Polish, have claimed that agency workers are subject to continuous acts of discrimination by their managers, with worse pay and working conditions than those directly employed by Musgrave.
According to one of the workers involved, the strike broke out due to a new work schedule, issued by management, in which agency workers’ breaks were cut short while the contracted workers kept their usual working conditions. It was also claimed that a worker was sacked on the spot without reason.
During the industrial action, Independent Workers’ Union representative Ray O’Reilly was removed from the premises at the behest of management. The workers chose to continue the strike in protest at this action. All further actions have been postponed to this week.
Musgrave came under heavy criticism from unions last year after attempting to erode workers’ rights by altering their working conditions and leave entitlements. 

IMO examines compensation scheme for doctors

The Irish Medical Organisation is currently examining the compensation scheme available to psychiatric nurses to see if it should be extended to doctors. The scheme currently operates to compensate nurses who have suffered injuries at work.
Last month, a Labour Court hearing took place between the Irish Nurses’ Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association and the Health Service Executive Employers Agency, during which the Court recommended that an insurance-based compensation scheme be instituted. This scheme covers injuries sustained at work as well as containing a recommendation that psychiatric nurses should be compensated for any psychological injuries incurred. 

Fears for British Corporate Manslaughter Bill

There are real fears among the British trade union movement that the Corporate Manslaughter Bill currently being debated at Westminster will fall if not passed by 17 July – the end of the parliamentary session.  The Bill has been in the process of discussion for the past ten years.  It was rejected by the House of Lords and referred back to the House of Commons after the Home Office added plans to exclude prisons, police cells and psychiatric hospitals.