Debenhams workers vow to continue blockade despite risk of imprisonment

Former Debenhams employees protest outside the Four Courts. Picture: RollingNews.

Former Debenhams workers have vowed to continue to blockade stores nationwide despite a High Court injunction ruling that to do so would be illegal, and may lead to imprisonment. 

Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds' decision has sparked calls for Government to intervene immediately in the dispute and for the Industrial Relations Act 1990 to be scrapped.

Carol Ann Bridgeman, who worked at the Mahon Point Debenhams store in Cork for 15 years and represented the group in court earlier today, said that those on the picket are mostly mothers who have given up their lives to fight for what is right, and they are now being criminalised.

“The judgement is a serious breach of workers’ rights,” she said. “The protests have always been peaceful."

The workers were made redundant earlier this year and have been blocking stock from being removed from the stores since, saying that the proceeds from the stock must be used to pay them two weeks' salary per year of service as was previously agreed by the floundering retail giant.

The injunction, Ms Bridgeman said, has "serious implications" for her, as she agreed to obey it in court. 

"If I’m near the picket and someone stops KPMG from removing stock, I could be in court again next week," she said.

“It’s soul-destroying that after six months on the picket, they’re literally tying my hands, keeping me off the picket under threat of arrest.

"But effective picketing is what’s got us to this point, and we must continue to collectively picket to stand up for workers’ rights.” 

Former Debenhams workers protest outside the Four Courts as Debenhams' liquidators seek High Court injunctions over former employees. Picture: RollingNews.

Valerie Conlon, former Debenhams employee and Mandate shop steward for the store on Cork's St Patrick's Street, said that the protesters remain united and they will continue to block the removal of stock — even if that puts them in handcuffs.

She called for as many people as possible to come out and support them on the picket. 

“We are disappointed by the injunction — and angry — but we expected nothing else," she said.

“I’m mad that our Government has not come to our aid. Fianna Fáil is supposed to be a workers’ party, but they’ve taken the side of employers and big business. It’s a disgrace.” 

A statement by shop stewards from the 11 stores condemned KPMG and the judiciary following the hearing, and called for support from trade unions, workers, and the Government.

"The only way to overcome bad and oppressive laws is to turn them into dead letters through mass defiance," the statement said.

Karen Gearon, the iconic former Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid striker expressed her "great anger" that the injunction had been granted.

She called on Government to intervene and for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to contest the judgment. She also called for the "unjust" 1990 Industrial Relations Act which failed to adequately protect the Debenhams workers' right to picket effectively to be scrapped.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry said that the case is really about the right to mount an effective picket.

"A court order to stop blocking the removal of stock is more or less a court order to wind down the strike,” he said.

Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, said: “What happened in the High Court today is an absolute disgrace. We cannot allow the criminalisation of strikers in this State."