Ray O'Reilly |
While he kept a low profile in recent years, Ray was one of those committed individuals who believed in the rights of workers to organise themselves and who stood up against employers in the interest of protecting workers' rights. He always felt that “laws are designed in democratic bourgeois societies like ours to keep the working class in their place”. He was a strong believer in “restoring the Trade Union movement as the organised arm and voice of working people.”
A leading light in the early days of the Independent Workers Union’s formation, Ray acted as the Union’s first Dublin Organiser and eventually became its Assistant General Secretary over time. He was instrumental in establishing within the Union, several semi-autonomous branches which supported Chinese and Polish nationalities for example as well as a taxi-driver branch.
Ray was a strong believer in direct action! He would target non-union employments by just entering premises and leafleting the workers he came across. He often did his direct action decked out in his Westmeath jersey, as he was proud of the County where he originally came from.
When the Dublin Port workers were on strike, back in July/August of 2009, while protesting against compulsory redundancies and reduced pay and conditions for the remaining workers, Ray got a sound system and went down to the Dublin Port area in support of the the workers, addressing all who went to the Port to show solidarity. Ray with others even came up with a plan to go into the shipping channel in a boat to block large ships from entering the port area.
Ray was a strong advocate of the Palestinian peoples, suffering injuries at the hands of the Israeli security forces. Ray spent a month in Palestine back in 2002, working with Palestinian farmers in gathering the olive harvest as well as monitoring the activities of both the Israeli army and the settlers in the occupied territories.
Ray is survived by his wife Jane and his daughter Grace. Rest in power, Ray.
From all your comrades in the Independent Workers Union.
Damien Keogh and Kevin Morley also added their thoughts to this obituary.
Damien Keogh, former chair of the Dublin Branch IWU: I first met Ray O’Reilly in 2006. He had a stall outside the Bank of Ireland, College Green. I was so impressed with what he was saying about the need to protect workers. I quickly became involved with the Independent Workers Union (I.W.U) under the supervision of Ray. He was black or white. If he had an idea he ran with it, convincing members it was good for them - and in all cases, it was. I remember talking to Ray about the Palestinian people. He was passionate about the injustices that were being visited upon them. He showed me a picture of him being treated for a head wound he got while he was trying to protect a Palestinian woman from the IDF. An IDF soldier hit Ray on the skull with the butt of his rifle. I asked Ray to put that picture of this on the wall of the branch room to show members how ruthless these people are.
We were having an AGM. Ray asked me to written a lecture for the conference which I duly did and gave it to Ray. You would think I gave him a million quid. He made a huge deal letting everyone know I had written it. When the dockers where on strike, Ray got a sound system and went to the port to support the workers, addressing all who went to the port to show solidarity. Ray always believed in direct action. He came up with a plan to go into the shipping channel in a small boat to block large ships from entering. He and a few workers did this. He always said: “I will not ask workers to do what I wouldn’t do myself.” An injuction was sought by the port and granted by the time this was done. Publicity was widespread and striker demands was wildly aired.
Kevin Morley - Former Dublin Branch Secretary IWU: It was with sorrow that I heard of the death of former Independent Workers Union Vice President, Ray O'Reilly. I first met Ray around 2003/4 when the union in Dublin was just getting off the ground. I was, with many others at the time a member and worked with Ray as the first Dublin Branch Secretary. At the time we shared the building with the now defunct Seamans Union of Ireland.
We were having an AGM. Ray asked me to written a lecture for the conference which I duly did and gave it to Ray. You would think I gave him a million quid. He made a huge deal letting everyone know I had written it. When the dockers where on strike, Ray got a sound system and went to the port to support the workers, addressing all who went to the port to show solidarity. Ray always believed in direct action. He came up with a plan to go into the shipping channel in a small boat to block large ships from entering. He and a few workers did this. He always said: “I will not ask workers to do what I wouldn’t do myself.” An injuction was sought by the port and granted by the time this was done. Publicity was widespread and striker demands was wildly aired.
Kevin Morley - Former Dublin Branch Secretary IWU: It was with sorrow that I heard of the death of former Independent Workers Union Vice President, Ray O'Reilly. I first met Ray around 2003/4 when the union in Dublin was just getting off the ground. I was, with many others at the time a member and worked with Ray as the first Dublin Branch Secretary. At the time we shared the building with the now defunct Seamans Union of Ireland.
Ray taught me a lot about how Irish trade unionism works as all my experience was in England and the English system. The major difference was between the now obsolete in England Industrial Tribunal and in Ireland the Labour Court. The differences in administrative and case preparations between the two systems were considerable. Ray took me along, as branch secretary, to cases to learn the ropes. How to address the Rights Commissioner, the Appeals Tribunal and finally, if all else fails and providing the union won the case and an arrogant employer refuse to stand by the Rights Commissioners decision, the Circuit Court which makes that Labour Court decision for the employee legally binding. I learned this thanks to Ray O'Reilly. As he always said; "it doesn't matter whether an employer recognises the union or not. In the Labour Court they have to as it is a level playing field."
Ray did sterling work in support of the Palestinians, suffering injuries at the hands of the Israeli security forces.
RIP Ray O'Reilly
⏩David Cotter is a trade union activist.
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