Strike for the Border as shoppers flee North
Exodus was not our fault, declare unions
Long lines at the Sainsbury's checkouts in The Quays shopping centre in Newry yesterday.Photo: Julien Behal
More photos:
Related Articles
Wednesday November 25 2009
PUBLIC sector workers were last night accused of taking advantage of the nationwide strike which all but shut down the country.
As a quarter of a million workers downed tools for the day, southern shoppers caused traffic gridlock as they flocked across the border, causing 6km traffic tailbacks into Newry.
Employers' group ISME described the strike as a "disgrace" and warned that public sector union bosses were leading their members "down a path of no return".
"We cannot say it was all public sector workers but when you see tailbacks on the very day the public sector take a day off it is fair to say that the vast majority are public sector workers," Mark Fielding, chief executive of ISME said. "If that is what is happening, it is beyond belief."
The Small Firms Association also slammed the stoppage and said it caused unnecessary widespread disruption to the economy. SFA director Patricia Callan said a lot of people chose to take the day off and if it was true that Newry was very busy as a result of the stoppage then it was "quite shocking".
Even before yesterday's massive northern trek, the cross-border shopping exodus had been a cause of serious economic concern for southern businesses as hundreds of millions of euro have been siphoned off by stores in the North.
Earlier this year one report predicted that shopping across the border would increase by about €150m to €700m this year. But the exodus has continued unabated, despite an appeal earlier this year to consumers from Finance Minister Brian Lenihan to remember their "patriotic duty".
In Newry, The Quays shopping manager Cathal Austin said yesterday's pre-Christmas business spike was more what they would expect on a southern bank holiday. "We don't have any idea whether they are public sector workers but anyone who is not working has taken the opportunity to come across to shop," he said.
Buttercrane centre manager Peter Murray described yesterday's trade as being like a Saturday. It was "like squeezing a quart into a pint pot" as the city tried to cope with the influx.
"I would have to say it seems like a direct result of the day of action. It's an ill wind," he said.
In Dublin, IKEA's north city store reported that they had been "extremely busy" yesterday with business well up on a normal weekday. A spokesperson said that the level of trade had been on a par with a Sunday.
Christmas
And on the city's southside, Dundrum shopping centre described business there as being like a Tuesday two days before Christmas.
But public sector unions vehemently denied the claims that their members had cashed in by going off shopping on the nationwide strike day. Union chief Peter McCloone branded the northern exodus accusation "absolute rubbish".
"There's been an attempt to represent what happened today as people taking the day off. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said.
Impact, the largest public sector union said it was "cynical in the extreme" to suggest they were public servants.
"If you want to find where public servants were, look at the picket lines and look who was providing emergency cover in the health services and in flood-affected areas," said a spokesman.
Secondary teachers' union ASTI described the claims as a "bit of a sideshow" to the real issue. "We have had up to 18,000 teachers on the picket lines at schools throughout the country," a spokesperson said.
The INTO said it was wrong to suggest that public servants who were on strike were using the day to cross the border to shop and the union dismissed such comments as "mischievous and misplaced".
"Clearly those who make such comments are trying to discredit the public service protest," a spokesman said.
- Fergus Black
Irish Independent
