Contemptible arrogance - Clerys liquidation

IF the Greek crisis shows international capitalism in its very worst light then the scandalous treatment of Clerys workers by that company’s new owners is a perfect example of the abuse of financial power at a domestic level. Yesterday the High Court confirmed the appointment of joint liquidators to the company which once operated Clerys.

In what was a well choreographed and entirely legal exercise, Clerys workers and those employed at concession outlets in the store were given less than an hour to leave the building and must wait for even a basic redundancy package.

Deirdre Foley, co-director of Natrium, the new owner of Clerys, has refused to meet Business and Employment Minister Ged Nash before a report for Government on the sale is finalised. She has also refused to discuss the liquidation of the company with the minister. This points to a spectacular level of arrogance and suggests an absence of anything approaching civic morality or responsibility.

Yesterday the Irish Congress of Trade Unions argued that employers should be restricted from being company directors for up to five years if they fail to meet obligations to employees. In light of the Clerys outrage, it is hard to oppose that position. There is a caveat though — anyone old enough to remember the days of unfettered union power will wonder which is the greater curse — greedy, irresponsible capitalists or greedy, irresponsible trade unions?