Some world-weary demonstrators sceptical of unions' fighting talk

Rose Eston is not impressed with her union. The former Peerless Rugs worker said that when the factory closed in Athy, Co Kildare, 15 months ago to the day, the "company walked away and SIPTU walked away".

As union workers marched in Dublin yesterday in solidarity with former Peerless and Irish Glass Bottle employees, Ms Eston was pleased that people had turned out. But she was concerned that "once the Irish Glass Bottle dispute is sorted out, that will be the end of it for Peerless".

She and 64 colleagues are involved in a sit-in at the factory, the longest running sit-in in the State, seeking better redundancy.

The 20 unions who supported them on the Dublin protest from Smithfield to the Dáil - not in session - are seeking a change in the law to increase redundancy payments.

Speeches from the platform were witty, rousing, anti-IBEC, anti-Government, and promised more, but Ms Eston has heard it all before. She wants action, not words.

"I'm paying into SIPTU every year since I was 15. That's 33 years and I never asked them for anything. The one time I did they walked away and they told us all to get on with our lives."

Christoper O'Connor has worked at Irish Glass Bottle in Ringsend for for 23 years. He said it was a very "proud day for everyone" that so many turned out to support them.

The unions had been involved in long talks for IGB, but Peter Doyle, some 33 years at the firm, was wary about the possible deal. "We might not even get half what the Labour Court recommended," he said.

IBEC, the employers' body, were "disgraceful" the workers said. It was a view echoed by ICTU president, Joe O'Toole, who said it would be easier to do business with the Sopranos, the notorious Mafia family from the US television series.

SIPTU president Des Geraghty accused Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy of putting his "dirty hands" on the national statutory fund and he "robbed it for the budget".

The Taoiseach was compared to hapless waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers in his response to payments to former minister Ray Burke. Bertie's response, said Sam Nolan of the Dublin Trades Union Council, was the same as Manuel's: "I know na-thing".