Talk:Dublin travel agents occupy offices against closure

Thomas Cook, Grafton St

 * Identify self.
 * Speaking to Caroline Cullen accounts assistant and TSSA staff rep
 * How is morale?
 * morale is "brilliant" -- "we actually slept at the front of the shop". people are bringing fresh-baked scones and cakes. "people are giving us money" "absolutely fantastic, the support we get" Joe Higgins in touchwith them, and a team from the Socialist Party is putting up flyers in support of the occupiers around Dublin.
 * vestas contacts really getting morale of the staff up. supermarket came and gave us breakfast. local businesses providing discounts. police are not interfering.


 * How do you feel about occupation?
 * on friday -- we didn't think it would go so far. tried to send staff packing. spontaneous occupatoin: we opened the windows and started screaming, "we're not moving, we'er not moving". taken control of shop. "we haven't moved since".


 * "we go home in shifts", 5 rooms at nearby hotel. go homne fr an hr or two, get some rest, come back.


 * Your colleage at Talbot Srteet talked about "bullying, intimidation and use of abusive language". Can you provide some details?
 * intimidation -- when consultation pd finished, simon robinson came ovre & tried to tell staff they weren't getting right information, threatened that if offer not taken, 2 wks,
 * 2 high-position men sent into office of mostly women (only 2 men of 44 staff). shop is part of their lives. they are all here long service/
 * simon robinson
 * kinnane -- direct hols only
 * different contract at direct holidays -- tssa recognized by contract at thomas cook. but direct hols was refdused any representation at all at all


 * Message for the world?
 * "we would love to get out and thank people fir their support". it does keep up morale. what we're looking for is 8 weeks -- would only cost an extra 400,000 euro.


 * 16 staff at direct holidays. "you cannot live on 5 weeks. travel agents are cdlosing everyweek. there's a hiring freeze at the banks. ther are no jobs out there". we need 8 weeks to live for the nexst 2 yerars while we look foer jobs.


 * 10:30am demonstration. "thomas cook have the chance to come to the table and talk to us. IUt's in their hands, they srtill have tha chance toio come back".

Direct Holidays
The police are not trying to stop food getting in. No police on site at present.
 * Identify self.
 * speaking to Pauline McManigan -- TSSA activist & employee of Thomas Cook trading as Direct Holidays
 * Are you getting food in?
 * getting food in -- general public has been sending in food, teabags milk, chococolate cakes, bread business.
 * You've heard from Vestas -- how do you feel about occupation?
 * we expect to hear from them. e-mails & access to internet at the Direct Holidays office disabled by order of managing director. company's mobiles & phones cut off, so hard to get in touch with the other office.
 * Are you afraid of the police?
 * afraid that a high court action will be served and we'll be forcibly removed. could force way in and arrest us. Occupiers "will not initiate violence". Management: staff must return to work tues morning "as normal" "that's not gonna happen" John kinnane has made thjings extremely difficukt for all staff. he has intimidated staff, bullied staff and used abusive languyage toward female staff" he told one of the girls today to "fuck off". it is a part of a pattern of abusive behavior. threatened "redundancy packages at risk of being revoked". capital holdings offered but employees never acctped. 2 wks statutory + 3 wks from company offered. "this is a company that has made £400 million in profiut this year and has been very gauche about making this known"


 * management issued redundancy notices on 12 may. Staff ballotted to join tssa. john kinnane letter stated he did not recognize TSSA union. this in turn made staff very uneasy as "we were not in any position to consult with senior managers who had their own hidden agenda and proved this when they closed the consultation down when staff said there were other matters that needed to bew discussed"


 * how is the mood
 * "very united. we're all rallying."
 * "Morale is absolutely excellent."


 * Can you send any photos from inside?
 * on tssa site.


 * Message for the world?
 * "the staff at Direct Holidayts based at 17 Tolbert st Dublin 1 never had any intention to strike, officially or unofficially, on these premises. although we did pledge our support to our colleagues based at the grafrton st store &tour union the tssa who have supported us wholeheartedly all the way through this. Thomas cook sent their security firm to this building yesterday to intrimidate its staff and try to bully them into handing over the keys to this premises. staff refused to hand over the keys as there waas a fear that the direct holiday shop based at 17 tolbert st would be stripped over the bank holiday weekend and when we returnedf of tuesday there would be no office here, as was done at Lord Earl St Thomas Cook. Thomas cook/Capital Holdings has provoked all staff based at direct holiday into the action. John kinnane, the managing director of Capital Holdings has never supported staff at Direct Holidays an initiated senior members of human resources from the uk to come to us and bully us. staff at direct holidays will stand firm united and strong throuh all of this. We will not stand down.


 * photos:
 * name & number of tssa press officer -- tom condon 07894390480