Argos strike in southern Ireland

ON 1 December workers in Argos stores across Ireland took strike action to demand a 90 cent an hour pay rise. Most Argos workers earn €9 (9 euros) an hour. Argos' sales last year were over €8 billion and profits are up 50% in the first half of 2007.

One Argos worker, on the Dublin picket line said: "We've been fighting for two years, we've been to the labour courts and numerous meetings and they've left us no choice but to come out today."

The majority on the picket lines were young workers, some who had only been in the job a matter of days but saw the need to fight back against the bosses' attempts to effectively cut wages while living costs rise steeply.

A victory for Argos workers in Ireland would give other low-paid workers confidence to fight for better pay and conditions.