Back the Bantry workers

cork | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Wednesday June 28, 2006 19:34 by IWU Publicity Group - Independent Workers Union www.union.ie

IWU call for solidarity action to support suspended security workers in Bantry.

IWU members employed by Federal Security, who provide security services at Bantry Hospital in Cork, have been suspended since Friday the 16th following their refusal to do the jobs of other workers.

Two of the three security men, David Carroll and Billy Cronin, are IWU members. It appears that in order to obtain the contract, Federal Security guaranteed that its employees would also fulfill the role of hospital porters, specifically that they would courier confidential patient files around the hospital for doctors and nurses.

David and Billy refused, pointing out that if a situation is allowed to be created where they have to take over the responsibilities of Hospital Porters, it will put the jobs of those workers at risk as the company and hospital work together to cut costs by obliging workers to take on extra responsibilities.

There is also a privacy issue here. One of the security men, who is not a member of a union, has agreed to do this work and is now responsible for ferrying confidential patient files and personnel files around the hospital despite not being an employee of the hospital.

WE NEED YOUR HELP.

1. Contact Federal Security on 01-2169908 or 021 4876242 to complain about the suspension of two workers.

2. Phone Bantry Hospital at 027-50133, ask them how they can stand over their policy of allowing non-employees of the hospital access to patient and personnel files.

The IWU will shortly be balloting Federal Security workers in Cork City Hospital about possible sympathetis strike action in solidarity with their comrades in Bantry.

An injury to one, is an injury to all.