Thomas Cook staff Dublin sit-in staff arrested

Source: personneltoday.com

Tara Craig

Thomas Cook travel agency staff in Dublin have been arrested for staging a sit-in to protest over the closure of branches, the BBC has reported.

Twenty staff were arrested this morning after refusing to leave the offices in Grafton Street, although a court order had been issued.

The workers, who have been staging a sit-in since Friday (31 July), are demanding an improved redundancy package. They are due in court later today.

The travel agent announced plans to close two Thomas Cook branches and a Direct Holidays outlet, which will remain open until the end of the summer.



Read more: http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2009/08/04/51648/thomas-cook-staff-dublin-sit-in-staff-arrested.html

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And this: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/thomas-cook-arrests-a-dark-stain-union-421190.html

Thomas Cook arrests 'a dark stain': Union

Tuesday, August 04, 2009 - 08:31 AM



Trade union Unite said the arrest of some 30 Thomas Cook workers at the company's Grafton St premises this morning was "a dark stain on the history of industrial relations in Ireland".

The workers, who had been engaged in a protest sit-in at the premises, were removed by gardaí following a ruling by the High Court ordering the workers to leave the premises by 7pm yesterday.

“These are ordinary working people standing up for their rights,” said regional secretary of Unite Jimmy Kelly.

“They have a right to be treated with respect and for their employer to hold to a standard of engagement that, in this case, has merely been cast aside.”

Thomas Cook is to close its two stores in Dublin, with the loss of more than 70 jobs. Workers at the Grafton St premises are arguing for a better redundancy deal from the travel agency.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/thomas-cook-arrests-a-dark-stain-union-421190.html#ixzz0ND1mrg2S

So their employer refused to give them more than the absolute minimum? I wonder exactly what the employees wanted?