EYE cinema strike

nightmare rage

i was coming home from work yesterday when i heard on the radio that the staff at the eye were going on strike over pay on conditions.

The cinema has been open for what 2 years now and the staff have always seemed happy whenever i was there. I'm guessing theres more going on here but it will be interesting to see whats going to happen over the next week.

I routed around on the net to see if i could find anything on it, only found this from siptu's main site


"Possible industrial action at Eye Cinema, Galway over pay and conditions
Date Released: 14 Sep 2007

SIPTU members working in Eye Cinema at Wellpark in Galway have voted in favour of industrial action. Formal notice will be served today, unless management agrees to meet Union representatives to discuss terms and conditions of employment.

According to SIPTU Organiser, Paul Gavan, “SIPTU members at the cinema have grown increasingly frustrated at management’s failure to respond to repeated requests for a meeting.

“This frustration turned to anger following the recent dismissal of a colleague who was active in promoting Union solidarity among the workforce. The employee in question is currently appealing the decision to the parent company, Edward Holdings Ltd.

The Eye Cinema recently won two O2 Ability Awards for its commitment to people with diverse needs. On their website, manager, Chris Peters pays tribute to “a wonderful staff” and goes on to say “we are grateful to them for the significant contribution they make to our business on a weekly basis”.

“However, the same Mr. Peters is overseeing an organisation where staff are not in receipt of any additional remuneration for working on Sundays or after midnight. Some staff have not been paid their entitlement to public holiday pay,” said Mr. Gavan.

“We believe patrons of the cinema will be shocked at the huge contrast between the progressive and ultra-modern image the cinema likes to portray and the reality for our members on the ground."


Odd for something like this to happen in a cinema of all places.

majiktripp

We'll have to wait and see how tihs pans out, suprising to hear about it all the same, never any real indication of unhappy staff when you visit the cinema...

altered121

OP went to alot of trouble to gather the info and create an account to post about some-thing on the radio on the way home in the car.
hidden agenda, communist plot, You decide.

pokeinthe"eye"

I stand with the staff of the Eye!
Have you ever noticed In the Eye Cinema that the staff always appere happy and content. Well your dead right, they do always seem happy, friendly and looked like they were having fun... Why?
Well if you think that it's because the cinema is a wonder full fantasy world where the movies come to life and big film stars are hiding in plain sight, wearing dark sun glasses, and nobody knows just how cool it is bar the staff, then I'm sorry but you are either a shiny eyed dreamer who loves the smell of the PopCorn and the thrill of the unknown, or Ten. I'm sorry folks I wish I could believe in those things with you, but its just not true. If the staff "seemed" happy and eager its because they are committed, hard working and have a loyalty that goes beyond self detrimental, sacrificing their free time, their education, long term carer, and in a few sad cases their long term health. I have watched from the outside with a heavy heart as the staff of the "Eye Cinema" fought gallantly in the waining light of hope for the betterment of a company, whom in recite of its staffs blood, sweet, and tears, cast aside the dispirit pleas for support and recognition, hell in most cases a simple pat on the back would have sufficed.

Well two long arduous years later, after giving near everything they had, and having what was left striped from them, the staff have rallied for the last battle with one of galway's biggest corporate monsters. But with their well of strength long run dry, they have called out for help, and those cry's were heard buy SIPTU Organiser, Paul Gavan, who in turn is asking every union and every union member, to give the strength and support that the eye cinema staff need so much over the cumming days and week.
Stand with the "HERO'S AND HEROINES" for the last heart stopping battle,

Just like in the movies...

3greenrizla's

lol another new poster with no involvement but a lot to say,

Not that I doubt you in any way, but it is a bit of a coincidence.

I have to say that the odd time I went up to the eye i didn't notice weather the staff were happy or not - sorry. I did notice that when you book & pay by credit card, you still have to Q to get your tickets - that bugs me.

back to the eye being on strike. Was the guy fired ONLY for trying to bring in a Union.

Regardless, I hope ye get more money, but if the tickets go up in price much more I wont be going at all.

altered121

another first post along the same lines. we live in a relativley free land, work some-where or don't.. freedom of choice.. two first time posters I stick with my last post on this. just say you work there and its not the best or far from it.
we all have jobs that are not ideal in some way or other we have freedom to change.. this is the real world which most workers inhabit.
I am not being overly harsh here only I strongly believe if some-thing p!sses U off get out companies are very difficult to change from the inside.

3greenrizla's

pokeintheeye wrote:

................ and have a loyalty that goes beyond self detrimental, sacrificing their free time, their education, long term carer, and in a few sad cases their long term health.
.......... fought gallantly in the waining light of hope for the betterment of a company, whom in recite of its staffs blood, sweet, and tears,..............

Be honest, is that just a little bit of an exaggeration?

altered121

True for 3greenrizla's make me wonder, blood sweat tears, then change job, sweat is acceptable tears and bloood 4 paper is not.

pokeinthe"eye"

A: I can ashour you I dont work there, I am just one of the many friends and family memberous of staff, who is dedacating there time and efforts to help in a worthy cause, as I belive the right thing is worth fighting for, even when its not easy to do so.
And
B: Im affried that was not exagguration mearly artisticly phrised, there is a case in the eye for all i mentioned.

Its good to hear that there is support comming in, I hope you will join the supporting friends and family in observing the long onnered tradition of the working class and refraining from crossing their picket line

altered121

I am all for staff rights but if its all that bad and some-one u care about works there then give them a wake up call these jobs can not be a high earning position with lots of promise at the end of some yellow brick road. when you see others being burned then its time to move on. yes I know its hard to start again but mental haelth and job satisfaction come first ( at least they should) No manager is going to turn around to staff and say " this place sucks and you have no future, but the same ding dong and misery"

I thank you 4 your honesty in the post, now apply the same to your friend/relation and tell them its not worth the stress or agony.

the raven

hey, how about this, i'm a poster with a few years under my belt and i've heard about this a whole heck of a lot in the last year (at least) and just to combat your point about "get a new job" that's not the point of any of this. everyone cannot get a new job immediately after quiting, people have financial commitments among many other things. as well as the fact that if they don't stand and fight this today, if they were to to up and leave, what would stop the management mis-treating the next round of staff? someone has to make a stand.

3greenrizla's

pokeintheeye wrote:

...not exagguration mearly artisticly phrised, there is a case in the eye for all i mentioned.

lol, I am going to rob that:D

like altered said... I am all for workers rights and all that, but the cinema is surly casual enough work, we have all done sh*t jobs, but, like altered121 said now we can just leave.

oh, & you shouldn't have posted saying it was nothing to do with you.


as for crossing the picket line, sure, ya cant be doing that....



& that is outside the cinema aswell

only one thing springs to mind..........A THEMED PROTEST:D

pokeinthe"eye"

Thank you altered121 for your sincere and insightfull responce, on that matter we are in complett agrement.
For those of my friends who wish to fight I will stand behind them to catch them when they fall, beside them when they need someone to lean on and infrount of them when they find them selves in the line of fire. But most importaintly i will stand face to face with each of them and tell them as you so aptly put it "its not worth the stress or agony." There are much better jobs for better pay for people as deserving as they.

eulrin

Hello.

First off i'd like to say to all that i work there and have done so since EYE opened.

Secondly the people who have posted about this have obviously done so in an attempt to spread the word and to see what public reaction adversity/support will be like. These people masquerading etc. is irrelevent to the point raised.

Yes siptu have issued notice for industrial action to EYE management over inproper pay conditions for they are currently not in accordance with Irish law.

It is our hope however that with siptu involved other aspects of the EYE work environment will be sorted, such as the management culture. I realise there will be many questions over the last statement however i cannot go into detail for legal reasons.

What i can say is that it is not a healthy work environment when the rules and procedures set down by the company do not apply to the management. especially serious issues such as bullying and harrasment in the workplace. So much so that when complaints were made against those who carried out the allegations, the complaints were swept aside and a blind eye was given to the situation all because it was an "incovenience". Thus resulting with the harrassment continuing and in turn forcing employees to quit.

Like i said i cannot elaborate on this but this is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the eye workplace ethic.

........... and have a loyalty that goes beyond self detrimental, sacrificing their free time, their education, long term carer, and in a few sad cases their long term health.
.......... fought gallantly in the waining light of hope for the betterment of a company, whom in recite of its staffs blood, sweet, and tears,..............

1. - many people have been required to come in on days off to cover shifts or do favours (this is common in many workplaces)

2. - before EYE opened employees were expected to sacrifice a week of college. any training or meetings are held on weekdays during college term despite notice been given of employees not being able to attend.

3 - manual handling training was arranged only when a member of staff severely damaged their back


These may seem pedantic and yes they could be deemed trivial but they are part of a long list of issues.

But i'l ask a queation at this point.

Why was a shop steward suspended over a baseless acusation the same day he revealed himself to be in a union?

Those of us who work in eye have been wondering what the answer to this question is, hence the notice for industrial action.

It is understandable company management will never be ideal, i have worked in many places and i am aware of this. But the situation here is deplorable and after years of attempting to raise issues which in many cases have broken the law siptu is our last resort.

altered121

again the type of job does not give you leverage over management ( you can be easily replaced ) why put up with cr4p in a job you can't effect change in?
why not move job and find something that suits both you and the employer?
am I being unreasonable in my thinkink or just unclear in the way I am posting.
job= sh!te.
worker can't force change.
worker unhappy.
employer feels employee can be easily replaced.

Change job for sake of > money > sanity >

this ideal of standing up and fighting when you can be easily replaced is a pipe dream.

the raven

but it's not a pipe dream! with the act of awareness and a union strike action will occur! they will hopefully get replacement management (albeit assholes most likely but hopefully competant assholes who'll still pay you the wage you're owed). for fux sake. what the hell is the matter with you that you think action does not incite change.

altered121

sorry i was posting when last 2 posts were also being posted, I would not cross a picket line regardless of what union sanctioned it.
also failure to provide health and safety training to all staff regardless of part-time full-time is a serious matter and should rightly be addressed by union.
My first reaction was borne out of annoyance at this " I heard but have no connection to" type of posts that appear on many sites by these one or 5 off type posters who then change id and re-appear .

once again though walk off leave them to try and replace you or all get sick notes for the same days from a GP.
if as i think some of you are in college one part-time job is like another,
but the one with the least hassle is best

altered121

the raven wrote:

but it's not a pipe dream! with the act of awareness and a union strike action will occur! they will hopefully get replacement management (albeit assholes most likely but hopefully competant assholes who'll still pay you the wage you're owed). for fux sake. what the hell is the matter with you that you think action does not incite change.

there is nothing wrong with me.. I KNOW corporates will only negotiate when there is some-thing for them to lose in the long term. short term action, which is all some-one on average wage can afford means little to corporates, unless staff
have a key skill that is not easily replaced or is expensive to replace ( extra training experience key skill recruitment for eg)

middle management are unlikely to suffer for implementing company policy.

if you think I am wrong look at similar level employment strikes and the long term effect on management.

3greenrizla's

thank you for the honest response eulrin.

I didn't mean to belittle 'the cause' at all, and it does sound sh*tty, low paid, rubbish hours, and I imagine the smell of popcorn would get to you after a while & everyone deserves better.

but is working in the cinema not a "stop gap, part time" job for MOST people working their?

I know when I went for a job in the cinema that is what I was thinking (maybe that is why I didn't get it, or, maybe I am bitter, lol)

eulrin wrote:

3 - manual handling training was arranged only when a member of staff severely damaged their back

again I am sorry, that just reminds me of Claims Direct on the telly.







oh & the themed protest is a good idea.

eulrin

Hi altered121,

Your points are quite valid and do have clarity in your posts.

What if the situation were like this

job = doable, at times enjoable.
work enviroment/management ethic = insulting, stessful, harassing
worker unhappy
worker attempts to force change.
worker unable to change jobs due to convenience of hours, finacial security. (such foreign workers do at times find it difficult to find new jobs)
attempt at change fails, worker continues because it's all they have at the moment.

I'll put it to you another way, if you were working and and you were accused of something you didnt do or you were insulted or harassed purely because it pleased somebody else, say a manager, because they had a grudge against you or they were in a bad mood, yes you could leave but surely you would prefer to see "justice" served?

To quote Raven on this

everyone cannot get a new job immediately after quiting, people have financial commitments among many other things. as well as the fact that if they don't stand and fight this today, if they were to to up and leave, what would stop the management mis-treating the next round of staff? someone has to make a stand.

Altered121 - What you do say is true however its not that simple when principle and morales get in the way.

altered121

agreed, principles morality standing up for rights etc.,
I have been involved in a few situations where my recomendation to owners/ boards would be to get rid of certain managers.. the reality is this costs money upper management are "bean counters" and every decision is based on cost and balancing long term and short term costs.

I am saying that even if you have a victory the managers you deal with are carrying out corp. policy and are very un-likely to face any real sanctions from the owners/ board.

tehn you are in a job you hate, working with ppl you hate and they now
want to see the back of you.

I know you can't just walk from job to job in 20 seconds.

but for your physical and mental health change asap action can be persued even after you exit.

3greenrizla's

eulrin wrote:

I'll put it to you another way, if you were working and and you were accused of something you didnt do or you were insulted or harassed purely because it pleased somebody else, say a manager, because they had a grudge against you or they were in a bad mood, yes you could leave but surely you would prefer to see "justice" served?

of course you are right, no one is going to say that you shouldn't be able to go to work without you (or seeing your co-worker) being bullied by the boss. and as raven said the least your action will do is raise your issues.

it was the opening rant (thats not the right word, forgive me, I have had too much Guiness & can't think, but you know what i mean) that got my goat up.


any how I am off to the laba, night all &..

Viva La Risistance

SimpleSam06

The last time I went to the Eye, it was for a viewing of Shrek 3. You had a hall full of kids, and about ten minutes into the show, the screen turned green and a godawful blaring farting noise starting bellowing out of the speakers, causing mayhem, as can well be imagined.

Sure enough after five minutes of that some schneery looking head in a suit came out to ask for patience from the audience, grinning all the while. So I can well believe there are management problems.

eulrin wrote:

work enviroment/management ethic = insulting, stessful, harassing

This appears to be your only gripe with the place, really. Are unions the best way to deal with problems like this?

You can't expect anything more than minimum wage working in an unskilled job like that, and really, shift covering and so on will happen in any job. Once its paid for there should be no problem. Of course it's management's duty to make sure they have enough people hired to be able to rotate shifts, without having to depend on people who might not be able to make it.

To be brutally honest, I'll be stunned if the Eye sees the end of 2008. They have nowhere near the number of customers they need to even pay the rent on a place like that, never mind the staff. The company that opened it took a gamble, and I reckon they lost.

The problem is the location; you can't walk to or from it easily, despite that its in the middle of a few good sized urban estates. People go into town for shopping and so on, and while there pop into the Omniplex. Also a vital demographic is the early to mid teen group, who don't drive.

pokeintheeye wrote:

I have watched from the outside with a heavy heart as the staff of the "Eye Cinema" fought gallantly in the waining light of hope for the betterment of a company, whom in recite of its staffs blood, sweet, and tears, cast aside the dispirit pleas for support and recognition, hell in most cases a simple pat on the back would have sufficed.

Whiskey, tango, foxtrot?

kamakiman

Hello all,
Im one of the shop stewards who was let go from the Eye. They got rid of me because of a trumped up charge which was handed down through a very biased investigation, now I can't go into any more detail for legal reasons but it is obvious that I was let go for getting the ball rolling on unionising the Eye Cinema.
I mean why not? I had worked in the headford road Omniplex about four or five years ago and they were unionised and they didn't implode and everything was standardised.
In my own opinion the main problem with the Eye is the management culture that is in place. Myself and a few others tried in vain to change problems from the inside from day one. We went to the appropriate people in management, sat down and discussed the changes that needed to be implemented. We were of course greeted with lip service and no definite answers eg "Ill look in to it", "Ill get back to you" etc.
So yes simplesam we have exhausted every other option. Im actually sorry that its come to this. The problems that have to be dealt with are the same problems that have been there since day one, and they could have been handled a long time ago and it would have been a better working environment for everyone.
Why then did I stay so long there? Well I had made some very good friends over 2 and a half years and in my naivety I thought the place might get better, how wrong I was. I mean I could tell you litereally horror stories of how certain members of staff were treated by members of management!
In closing the Eye management has left its staff with no other option but industrial action up to and including a strike and picketing of the premises and we hope that we have the full backing of the public.

5x5

Hi,
1st time poster on these boards and I am one of the current shop stewards for SIPTU at the EYE. I am currently suspended for a baseless accusation, coincidentally made against me the same day I revealed myself as a shop steward for the union!

In response to what some of you have said:
Management culture isn't our only problem. In case the others haven't made it clear:
They are breaking the law with regard to certain practices and regulations in place in the cinema.
There is an industry standard for a cinema pay structure that is not being met.
And yes, unprofessionalism is rampant among management. Excluding the current victimisation, almost all of the managers are guilty in some form or another of the criteria listed as 'Gross Misconduct' in their own employee handbook.

Why don't I pack up and move on? Because it wouldn't give me peace of mind to lie down and have my rights trampled on! I'm not the kind of person that can walk away, knowing that they won't be held answerable for their wrong-doing and the attitude that they can't be is why stuff like this is allowed to go on for as long as it has!
Having an outside body like SIPTU recognised and keeping a watchful eye is what will change things and give me greater job satisfaction.

skelliser

i like the eye, go there exclusively hate the omniplex!
i for one will boycott the eye until ye get your grievances sorted

good luck!

GalwayEd45

If you like the eye you shouln't feel compelled to boycott it because of a few greedy upstarts trying to maipulate and bully their employers.

they should count themselves lucky to have a job in the first place. The owner did them a favour at great personal financial risk to offer them a place of work to begin with. They are putting all their colleagues job at risk now to further their egos and personal grips against the management their.

This country would be much better off if employees realised how lucky they are to have a secure wage. Its' not like they are digging trenches or building roads or have dangerous jobs to begin with i seriously doubt anyone could injure thenselves shovilling popcorn.

thats whats wrong with the celtic tiger economy, - greedy staff always looking out for themselves, not realisuing they could bankrupt a person over it.

thats just my opinon.

the raven

GalwayEd45 wrote:

If you like the eye you shouln't feel compelled to boycott it because of a few greedy upstarts trying to maipulate and bully their employers.

they should count themselves lucky to have a job in the first place. The owner did them a favour at great personal financial risk to offer them a place of work to begin with. They are putting all their colleagues job at risk now to further their egos and personal grips against the management their.

This country would be much better off if employees realised how lucky they are to have a secure wage. Its' not like they are digging trenches or building roads or have dangerous jobs to begin with i seriously doubt anyone could injure thenselves shovilling popcorn.

thats whats wrong with the celtic tiger economy, - greedy staff always looking out for themselves, not realisuing they could bankrupt a person over it.

thats just my opinon.

wow, you seem like an enlightened individual. have you bothered at all to read this thread?

GalwayEd45

yes, I have read all the posts carefully and having weighed up all the arguements, that's my feeling on the subject.

Anyone who knows anything about the history of union's know that they are nothin but a front for bullie's and gangsters unlike the diligent and hardworking people who keep the economy working.

Now why don't u and your buddie's go and have a meeting about that!

pokeinthe"eye"

Ha haha ha hhaaaa haha did some just shout money fight.
One would wonder though, if paying minamum wage and spending just enough to cover basic health and safty in a company, is the type of financial expenditure that would bankrupt a multi millionairehow on earth would the gintle giant have become one in the first place

craziemom

I have to agree with the raven!
Is GalwayEd45 a very narrow minded person or simply a disgruntled employer?! it's quite clear he's been burned before!
Can anyone seriously believe that they should bow down and worship the person who employs them! Highly skilled job or not that employer has decided to employ his/her staff based on the that persons skills!!! Does that then entitle him to batter and belittle their employee because they provide financial security? I should hope not!

And another point, when did everyone become so anti-union? Were we not raised in a country where unions were the backbone of every working family?