Belfast

At the start of the picket 3 people had gone inside to leaflet customers and staff. There was a very positive response to the picket however one person was falsely accused of assaulting a Starbuck's member of staff after leafleting staff and customers inside.

For the first time ever, Queens University is attempting to introduce compulsory redundancies for staff. Normally, voluntary means are used to resolve staffing issues, but Queens senior-management were attempting to rush-through the compulsory redundancy plan tomorrow at Standing Committee meeting.

“Unite are trying to deny us our democratic right to peacefully protest.” – Gordon McNeill

The dispute between the sacked airport shop stewards and their union, Unite, was dramatically escalated on Tuesday afternoon.

His health is deteriorating rapidly and visibly. A healthy person might expect to live a week or so without food and water. Gordon suffers from a heart condition and has not recovered from the previous five day hunger and thirst strike at the start of April. He has already reached a critical stage.

Gordon has made it clear that he will refuse medical treatment if he is hospitalised.

The five day hunger strike by three sacked airport shop stewards, Gordon McNeill, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer was suspended at 5.30 this afternoon after the workers received a letter from the union solicitors guaranteeing that their demands would be met.

A young Slovakian worker was sacked on the spot from Delaney’s restaurant for asking why she had to remove her jumper at work on a cold January day. Delaney’s owners refused to meet with the worker or with her trade union representative.

Belfast
Postal workers in Belfast have won an important victory against management after unofficial action on Friday of last week. It took the workers just one and a half hours to force down bosses’ attempts to change start times.

Managers insisted that the workforce put forward their start times by two hours.

Aer Lingus is planning to open a new hub at Belfast airport, which would involve some flights to and from London being diverted from Shannon. Aer Lingus is planning to use this as an opportunity to cut pay and conditions as it employs new staff at Belfast on lower pay and conditions than existing staff.

The Naxos, owned by Korean company Jinyang Shipping and registered in Panama has been called unsafe by its Filipino crew. The crew claims that the ship brings in salt water whilst at sea, leaks, and has only had a single safety drill out of the statutory four. They are also striking over pay arrears, with some being paid only $180 per month for 300 hours work.

Echo would collect on behalf of the new water company Northern Ireland Water Ltd.

Secretary of the We Won't Pay Campaign Gary Mulcahy speaking at the protest today warned Echo that today's protest was the first of many to target it's headquarters on Upper Queen St in Belfast.

More than 600 jobs are going at the Belfast aerospace company Shorts, parent company Bombardier has said.

It is important today not only because it is a part of our history that has been denied space in the school books but also because it was a living demonstration that the sectarian barrier can be breached.

This is a victory for workers everywhere facing harassment and intimidation at work. It is a victory that defends and reasserts the right of workers to organise free from bullying, intimidation and harassment.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) authorised a ballot of its members for strike action due to Royal Mail management going back on deals made to end the unofficial stoppage on February 17.

An independent review of industrial relations, the key demand of the strikers, has been won. Strikers also forced Royal Mail to agree a non-victimisation clause in the agreement that brought the dispute to a close - while the 12 month no strike clause was effectively scrapped.

The workers walked out over management bullying, and were demanding an independent inquiry – and demand which management had refused.

A spokesman for the CWU said: "I believe it is more optimistic today. First and foremost we are looking for a guarantee that no individuals will be victimised when they return to work.

Assembling at the Tomb Street sorting depot picket line at 12.00 over 1,000 workers marched to a rally at Belfast City Hall in support of striking posties and workers everywhere who are facing harassment and bullying at work.

As Wildcat action by Belfast Posties entered its 12th day, on Saturday 11th February, street collections took place in Belfast city centre. Posties, fire fighters and other trade unionists, Belfast and District Trades Union Council delegates, members of Organise!, the Socialist Party and SWP collected money and handed out leaflets explaining the dispute.

Explaining why letters had been hand-delivered to four representatives of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) threatening them with legal action, the spokeswoman declared: "Letters were sent... to say... that there is no clear evidence showing a real will to get people back to work and a number of options are being considered, including taking injunctions out against them personally."