3rd October 2002

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Sinn Fein support day of action on redundancy payments

Sinn Fein Oireachtas Group Leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD has called on people to join Trade Unionists taking to the streets across the country in a national day of action to secure improvements in statutory redundancy payments.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD said: ``Sinn Fein supports the demands made by the Trade Union leadership that the statutory redundancy payments be increased to three weeks pay for every year of service. The Unions have made every effort to negotiate on this issue with the government and with employers and have not received satisfaction. The economic downturn means that more and more workers are being made redundant and left with inadequate compensation for their years of work. I am hopeful that the large numbers of people who will register their protest tomorrow will send a message to the government and big business that the workers of this state will not be taken for granted anymore.

``I would also like to take the opportunity to condemn suggestions from IBEC that workers who attend these rallies, organised across the state, may be liable for disciplinary action. This rally is taking place because of the refusal of employers to implement the Labour Court's recommendations on redundancy at the Irish Glass Bottle Company in Ringsend and the Peerless Rugs factory in Athy. It is the dereliction of the responsibility those employers owe to their workforce that has brought us to this and will bring thousands onto the streets tomorrow." ENDS

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