Hundreds continue Ireland factory occupation

[IndianaGreen]

Source: Morning Star

Hundreds continue Ireland factory occupation

(Monday 02 February 2009)

HUNDREDS of workers spent a fourth day occupying the Waterford Crystal factory in Kilbarry on Monday in protest against plans to axe 480 jobs.

Heavily indebted luxury tableware manufacturer Waterford Wedgwood called in receivers Deloitte last month after failing to buy more time from creditors.

Deloitte receiver David Carson halted production at Waterford Wedgwood's flagship Kilbarry plant on Friday and announced that 480 workers faced the chop, despite talks with potential buyers.

Current and former employees responded by storming the building and over 100 workers are now occupying the factory on a shift basis.

Local shops have been supplying them with food and drink, while blankets and sleeping bags have also been brought inside.

Some 60 workers are remaining in the visitor centre overnight and were joined by more staff yesterday, bringing the number to over 200.

Read more: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/world/hundreds_continue_ireland_factory_occupation

[jannyk]

1. Power to the people!!! Yeah!!! nt

[MichaelHarris]

2. I was there

a couple of years ago. Wonderful factory, wonderful town, wonderful people. I'm glad to see them fight.

[Hannah Bell]

3. gee, & it was only a few years ago that ireland was the latest capitalist poster boy.

[cosmicone]

4. The only difference

between Iceland and Ireland is one letter.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

5. I hope they succeed.

Waterford has made beautiful crystal for centuries.

Wedgwood has made the famous blue and white tableware for centuries too.

I hope they can save the company. Lots of fine quality merchandise there and history.

[harmonicon]

6. awesome

This is how things get done.

[JohnnyBoots]

16. Until the company hires Blackwater to clear the factory. That's what they'd do over here.

[harmonicon]

18. true enough!

That's basically what they did the past, isn't? I wouldn't put it past them now. They'd call the occupiers "terrorists" and murder them, I suspect.

[JohnnyBoots]

19. Blackwater would find work as the new Pinkertons. Same premise.

[Hekate]

7. Good for the workers. A few months back I read that the plant was moving to China...

Which made me really sad. A country should not have its finest craftsmen put out of work and all that shipped away.

Hekate

[flpab]

9. Always check the made in sticker

Because if you notice some of their things are being made elsewhere, the Christmas ornaments for example. I read where one buyer just wanted to buy the brand, I for one would never buy Waterford if it was made in another country. I have been to the factory twice and the workers amazed me with their talent. It takes many years to become a cutter. I don't have a lot of crystal but cherish the pieces that I do have and would hate to see those craftsmen out of work.

[BR_Parkway]

8. Wasn't McCain, et al pointing out how companies would move to Ireland

because of their low business tax structure? Sure seems like global economic meltdowns aren't prevented by 'tax cuts' after all - how many times do they need to see the evidence that their ideas are failures before it finally sinks in?

[Monk06]

10. Deloite and all the gang of five audit companies should be hanged for

cooking the books so international corps could
take over these sold manufacturing companies and
strip their assets.

Deloitte Touche Ross, Thorne Erst Whinney,
and the biggest crook of all Arthur Anderson.

The boards of these companies should be in jail on Desert
Island.

[shadowknows69]

11. This country's worker's are now realizing it should have had such a spine

You know where it should have/should started/start? The docks; nothing comes in that costs American jobs. Those companies aren't welcome here anymore. Period.

[JCMach1]

12. Another good company that was mismanaged into the ground...

They should let the workers buy the factory and give them a government loan to fund the business.

[eilen]

13. I wish they'd do that at Oneida nt

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

14. Good for them

Don't fuck with the Irish.

[roguevalley]

15. I love their crystal. Someone was talking about how the styles are

not appealing to younger people. I personally have some Waterford and love the classy stylings. Hand done crystal. It doesn't get better.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

17. We don't have any Waterford, but we do have some Beleek stuff

It's like the porcelein equivalent of the Waterford crystal.