March 13th: Unite Regional Secretary Jimmy Kelly today expressed solidarity with Dublin’s Deputy Lord Mayor and Unite shop steward Cieran Perry, who is facing public order charges on foot of a protest during the Greyhound industrial dispute in 2014. Cllr Perry took part in a protest against the imposition of pay cuts on Greyhound workers and the use of strike-breakers during the dispute.
Commenting in advance of the court hearing due on March 15th, Jimmy Kelly said:
“As a Unite shop steward and equality officer of his branch, Cieran Perry was acting in the best traditions of the trade union movement and of Unite when he took part in a peaceful local protest in support of the locked-out Greyhound workers in 2014.
“It was unacceptable then that he should be arrested on foot of a peaceful protest, and it is unacceptable now that he will be before court on public order charges this week.
“I hope that Cieran Perry’s right to demonstrate solidarity with his fellow workers will be vindicated when the case comes before court this week”, Jimmy Kelly concluded.