| name: | Ann Casey |
| section: | Employment |
| for: | The Defence |
| experience: | Crew Member |
summary:
The witness relates how union representation was stiffled and dragged through the labour courts by McDonalds.
When the strike was finally over ( Sept 1979) with the employees who joined the union succeeding, in having the right, to have the ITGWU act on their behalf,management refused to give me my job back.
The rights commissionare ordered Mc Donalds to pay a settlement to me,which they did,however there is no doubt that I lost my job because I joined a trade union.
cv:
I was a crew member and 'hostess' at the McDonald's restaurant in Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland in 1978.
Full cv:
(not available for this witness)
full statement:
I started work in Mc Donalds restaurant in Grafton Street, Dublin in 1978.
In March 1979 some workers in Mc Donalds restaurant in O'Connell Street joined the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. The management refused to recognise the union so the employees were left with no option but to go on strike. The strike extended to Grafton Street restaurant when myself and some more workers also joined the union.I was employed at that stage as a 'Hostess" my functions included the supervision of employees who worked in the restaurant,rosters,customer relations, and organising childrens birthday parties.
An interpretation of the Irish Constitution ensures that citzens of the Rebublic have a constitutional right to join a trade union. Management refused to recognise the ITGWU,so therefore undermined the constitutional right of myself and my fellow workers. Management then argued that they would recognise the union but refused to negotiate pay and conditions of employment with the ITGWU on behalf of their members.
When the strike was finally over ( Sept 1979) with the employees who joined the union succeeding, in having the right, to have the ITGWU act on their behalf,management refused to give me my job back.The reason they offered was, that the position I worked in no longer existed.My union took my case to a rights commissionare (they are part of the labour concilliation services) the commissionare agreed with the case being put forward by my union ie that I was being victimised for my trade union activities. McDonalds refused to give me my job back.The rights commissionare ordered Mc Donalds to pay a settlement to me,which they did,however there is no doubt that I lost my job because I joined a trade union.
When I worked for McDonald's I was employed under my marriage name which was Anne Holmes.
| date signed: | July 20th 1993 |
| status: | ? |
exhibits: Not applicable/ available
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