Celtic FC, Strikers, Scabs, and the SAS

A full house of Irish football fans packed Solitude Park, the home of Cliftonville Football Club, to witness a 3 – 0 victory of the north Belfast team over the powerful Glasgow Celtic yesterday evening. The friendly game between the two teams was organized in conjunction with the occasion of Cliftonville's 130 birthday celebrations.

As is normal in these friendly matches, Celtic did not select their first string line-up, but the result was still viewed as impressive by Irish fans.

Strikers of a different variety, than those associated with the game of soccer, called on Celtic fans to red card a director of the club, Tom Allison, and to protest his actions as a Chairman of Peel Ports, which is involved in a labour dispute with Dublin port workers.

The strike by Dublin Port workers passed the 100 days mark last Saturday. Peel Ports, the second largest port company in the UK, which last year took over the dockers previous employer, Marine Terminals, is accused by SIPTU, the union representing the dock workers, of refusing to negotiate with the workers and that the only option open was official strike action. “The Company” say the union, “have given the two fingers to the Irish industrial relation process, and will not attend the Labour Court.”

“While workers are locked out of their place of employment,” say SIPTU, “they have been replaced by Scabs, some from Dublin and Kildare, and more brought in from Belfast and Scotland. “A 'security company' founded by ex SAS members and recruiting form the British military is being used to intimidate strikers and supporters.”

The company, Control Risks, is currently advertizing on its web site for a Project Manager to - “provide day-to-day operational and personnel management of Control Risks’ contract with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Iraq. The project manager will be based in the British Embassy in Baghdad and will work back-to-back with a project manager of comparable seniority and experience.”

It also posts - “Are you leaving the military soon? Looking for your next career move? Have you considered working within Close Protection? You can use your Enhanced Learning Credits to pay towards the cost of our close protection course.
"A fantastic and well run course - highly recommended to anyone looking to enter the profession." Steve, CP operative working in Iraq.

The striking workers have called on Celtic fans to send messages of support to Celtic Chairman John Reid, at publicrelations@celticfc.co.uk

“The club”, they say, “was founded over 120 years ago to provide relief for impoverished Irish immigrants in Glasgow, and has always had support from the Irish all over the world. No doubt Celtic fans will be disgusted to see a prominent member of the club linked to this attack on Irish workers.”

Dublin City Council have passed an unanimous resolution in support of the workers.

For more details:
www.mtldockers.com
supportportworkers@dublin.ie