Reilly Bookbinders, When Workers Take Control:

14 workers (10 women and 4 men) in a bookbinding company in Wicklow took direct action and occuppied their employers premises upon learning that the new owners attempted to claim the company was no longer profitable and that the new owners wanted to relocate to Eastern Europe to establish what it claimed was to be a "World Class Bookbinding Operation".

The company was attempting to wind up operations after thirty years working from the premises in Wicklow. Many of the staff have between them 20 to 30 years service. By claiming insolvency the company could negate their responsibility to pay statutory redundancy which would have amounted to 2 weeks pay per year of service and one lump sum payment of one weeks wage.In fact the company insulted the workers intelligence and dignity by offering to sell a cutting machine and the proceeds of the sale of the machine would be then shared amongst the 14 staff. The value of the machine was estimated to be in the region of 15,000 euros. Needless to say the staff smartly rejected this offer out of hand.

The staff also have suggested their factory occupation was to protect customer orders that had yet to be processed. The factory occupation had taken place for 10 days before it became public knowledge, it is not known how long the workers union SIPTU had been aware of the factory occupation before it offically intervened in the dispute.

As a result of the workers brave and commendable actions in occupying the factory, an independent assesor has been appointed to review the financial status of the company and to either refute or substantiate the companies claim that it is insolvent. The workers union SIPTU have publically stated the following "This is a viable operation with a viable future, if the right formula can be found. O'Reilly Bookbinders has been in Wicklow Town for 30 years and there is no reason it could not last at least another 30." The workers have also made it claer the factory occupation will continue until the assesor completes the review of the companies financial status.

From a Marxist perspective the actions of the workers should be a seen as the power of workers to take control of their working lives.Indeed why should the workers stop there? By taking control of their working lives as the workers in occupying the factory as they did, the next logical step is for them to contemplate, and to be encourged to actually take ownership of the company. if that was too happen, can you imagine the message it would send out to the rest of our class, and to the capitalist class? Workers of the world unite indeed.

Victory to the Wicklow 14.