With Dublin bar staff on strike will the public pass pickets to see the Republic of Ireland play Italy at the World Cup?
Bar staff vote to take immediate strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions. The main sticking point is after work cleaning up time. Bar staff are paid until 12:15 am but regularly must work later. Mandate National Officer (and Bray Trades Union Council President) John Douglas says,
Members are no longer prepared to work for nothing.
Madigans in Donnybrook is closed completely while other pubs are being staffed by family members or operating with a skeleton staff.
Although pickets are in place on pubs across Dublin city and county the Licensed Vintner's Association (LVA) claim football fans will be able to get a drink when the Republic of Ireland play their first match at the World Cup.
Much will depend on the attitude of the public as they try and enjoy the match and have to decide if they should cross a picket line in order to do so.
According to LVA chief executive Frank Fell,
A lot of the public are actually passing pickets and going into pubs.
However, a member of the public disagrees,
I certainly would not pass the picket and I feel very sorry for the barmen of Dublin and of the rest of the country.
Bar staff picketing outside KCR House in Kimmage are pleased to find people are observing their picket line. One barman knows it will be difficult to stand outside the pub during the much anticipated football match,
I’d rather be in there watching it and serving pints as well.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 18 June 1994. The reporter is David McCullagh.
