Members of Sinn Fein, Fine Gael, Labour, Social Democrats, Greens and Independent sign pledge

October 2nd: Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, has welcomed the decision by 15 Limerick politicians to support the union’s campaign for reinstatement of the ‘Murphy 4’ and their decision to oppose the awarding of public contracts to the Murphy group of companies, which Unite believes is engaged in union-busting.

The workers, who were employed by Murphy’s Irish subsidiary Murphy International, were undertaking work at Aughinish in Co Limerick when they 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, including a shop steward, were singled out and dismissed, and the company has so far refused to reinstate the workers.

The following politicians have pledged to write to Murphy outlining concern at their actions and to write to Uisce Eireann / Irish Water calling on them not to engage the Murphy group, directly or indirectly, in any UI contracts; lobby within their parties for further support; and support or submit a motion to their local authority calling on it not to award contracts to the Murphy group:

Maurice Quinlivan TD (SF), Cllr Sharon Benson (SF), Cllr PJ Carey (SF), Cllr Tom Collopy (SF), Cllr John Egan (FG), Cllr Sarah Kiely (FG), Cllr Olivia O’Sullivan (FG), Cllr Tom Ruddle (FG), Cllr Elena Secas (LP), Cllr Conor Sheehan (LP), Cllr Joe Leddin (LP), Cllr Elisa O’Donovan (SD), Cllr Saša Novak Uí Chonchúir (GP), Cllr Sean Hartigan (GP), and Cllr Jerome Scanlan (Ind).

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite welcomes the support shown to the ‘Murphy 4’ by elected representatives in Limerick from across the political spectrum and we expect other local politicians to join our campaign

“Murphy’s behaviour is deplorable. It is guilty of flagrant union busting. No reputable employer should have anything to do with Murphy considering the manner in which it treats its workers, and no public authority should be awarding contracts funded by taxpayers’ money to any company which will not respect workers’ rights”.

Unite’s Irish Secretary Susan Fitzgerald added: “It is unacceptable that taxpayers’ money should be used to subsidise union-busting employers such as the Murphy group, and Unite will continue urging politicians to make it clear that public procurement contracts must come with workers’ rights strings attached.

“The Murphy group needs to be aware that our campaign will continue escalating until it desists from union-busting attempts, reinstates the Murphy 4 and commits to treating workers with respect.”