FORMER workers at Debenhams in Waterford city said they are "tired but proud" after an eventful night during which the stock was finally removed from the City Square store, overseen by up to 40 Gardaí.
Workers said it was a "night they were expecting" but still the scale of the stock removal operation on behalf of liquidators KPMG left them "shocked".
Today marks 397 days since former workers of the store took to the picket line in an attempt to prevent the removal of the stock from the store whose closure left them out of work and without, they say, fair redundancy packages.
The situation came to a head last night as large trucks moved into the city centre in an operation aided by Gardaí, including the public order unit.
Workers and their supporters gathered and remained at the scene for over fours from 12 midnight as the stock was removed from the premises at City Square.
Gardaí, who had to be present due to a High Court injunction on the blockades, said this morning that no arrests were made .
Michelle Gavin, who worked for Debenhams (and previously Roches Stores) for over 27 years, said workers knew over the past week that the stock removal was imminent and accepted the situation was now "nearing an end".
However, she told Damien Tiernan that protesting outside the former Waterford store would continue until the end of next week when the ballots will be counted on a postal vote by workers countrywide on a deal which may see them stand down the pickets anyway.
"I feel very proud this morning," said Michelle Gavin.
"I firmly believe you have to stand up for your rights and that's what we did. We're still on strike and until that ballot is counted next week, we are officially still on strike. It's not over just yet but we are nearly there. Workers have to be looked after. They are a big part of any business," she said, adding that she does think the action by the workers over the 397 days has put workers' rights (generally) back on the agenda."
Michelle Gavin said the Gardaí were "pleasant" to the protestors last night but she was taken aback by the number of Garda vans and resources that did attend.
She explained how the streets were blocked off by Gardaí prior to the trucks moving in. She added she was "shocked" by the extremes used to remove the stock when the postal vote had been issued and the situation would probably end next week anyway.
Margaret Sinnott, another ex workers, said she it had been an "emotional" and "tough" night for former staff and their supporters.
She said hopefully, the message to the public is that the staff "went down fighting". They would re-group, she said, later on today and would see then what way they would go forward.
You can listen back to Michelle Gavin and Margaret Sinnott speaking on Déise Today by clicking below here...
Meanwhile, you can listen back to the full Deise Today programme from this morning by clicking below here...
