Hundreds rally in support of Clerys workers

HUNDREDS of people rallied on Dublin's O'Connell Street on Tuesday lunchtime in support of 130 workers at Clerys department store who were informed on Friday that their jobs were gone and the store was closing immediately.

Hundreds of people chanted slogans and cars honked their horns as they passed the large crowd on Dublin's main thoroughfare.

Speaking to An Phoblacht at the protest, Sinn Féin Workers Rights Spokesperson Senator David Cullinane described the treatment of Clerys workers as "appalling" and said the Government must take responsibility for the mess:

"The ongoing failure to introduce robust legislation that would protect vulnerable workers from unscrupulous employers and vulture capitalists must end," he said.

"Irish workers deserve to be treated with respect, and so far the Labour Party and Fine Gael have failed abysmally in this area."

Court appointed liquidators KPMG met with trade unions in Liberty Hall this morning in what SIPTU called a "robust and frank" discussion with workers representatives who are seeking clarification on pay entitlements, outstanding wages, redundancy pay and holiday pay or whether they have to claim from the insolvency fund. 

Concession holders who operate in the department store employing around 300 people are seeking legal advice on their right to access stock which is held in the store and also on the return of money which was being held in trust for them by Clerys.