'We're not going away' - Vita Cortex workers join Debenhams staff at Cork rally

Campaign for a fair redundancy package reaches the 161-day milestone

Debenhams shop steward, Valerie Conlon, said the former workers remain as determined as ever five months since losing their jobs. On day 161 of the official picket of Debenhams stores today are (front) are Ciara Hartnett (20 years service) and Donna Higgins (14 years service) with (at rear) Gillian McSweeney, Ellen Manning and Orla Dowling. Picture: Larry Cummins.

When their marathon 161-day factory sit-in ended in May 2012, the former Vita Cortex staff felt confident they'd done enough to ensure that workers would never face a similar battle for a fair redundancy.

But as they stood with former Debenhams workers in Cork today as their campaign for a fair redundancy reached the 161-day mark, they lashed out at the government and said it’s clear that lessons haven’t been learned.