Unite, the UK and Ireland’s leading union, is holding a protest at the offices of leading accountants Ernest and Young due to the links that its associate has with union-busting.

When: 11.15am Tuesday 12th September 2023      

Where: Ernst and Young, 22 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7DT

J Murphy and Sons Ltd is currently part of a joint venture with French construction company Bouygues which has been shortlisted for the multimillion-pound contract to build the new Lower Thames Crossing. The bid for the Lower Thames Crossing is being supported by Ove & Arup Partners. Ove & Arup’s group chair Alan Belfield is the joint chair of the Professional and Business Services Council a position he shares with Sally Jones who leads Ernest and Young’s trade strategy and Brexit team.

The dispute is a result of J Murphy and Sons Ltd’s, Irish subsidiary Murphy International Ltd, wrongfully sacking four Unite members (including a Unite rep) last year, in an act of union busting.

The workers who were undertaking work at a site in the Republic of Ireland were dismissed after organising a meeting of 15 workers to discuss Murphy’s non-payment of travel and subsistence payments.

After a period of two months where the workers were suspended without pay, the four workers were singled out and dismissed for not showing “remorse”. Despite pressure from Unite the company has refused to reinstate the workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Murphy’s behaviour is deplorable and it is guilty of flagrant union busting. No reputable company should have anything to do with Murphy’s considering the manner in which it treats its workers.”

“Unite will never allow such attacks on members to go unchallenged and we will leave no stone unturned until Murphy does the right thing and reinstates these workers.”

Today’s protest is just one of a large number that Unite is holding across the UK and internationally to apply further pressure on the company to reinstate the workers. If Murphy fails to act, the protests and ensuing disruption to clients and contractors associated with the company will further intensify.