Brendan Ogle

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Brendan Ogle
Brendan Ogle Aug 2015.png
Ogle speaking at a demonstration against Water Charges in the mid-2010s

Brendan Ogle is an Irish trade union official. He is a senior Unite the Union officer in the Republic of Ireland.

Contents

Career

Ogle led the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association and is the former secretary of the ESB Group of unions. [1] [2] He was the first non-ESB employee to become secretary of the GoU. [3] During his tenure he caused controversy by referring to workers in the ESB as 'spoilt' at a meeting of the dissident Republican group Éirígí. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Throughout this time he was, according to the Irish Independent , "subject to much adverse media comment" and he and his family endured threats to kill them. [1] Among those to publicly defend him were former Irish presidential candidate and senior Labour Party member Fergus Finlay. [9]

Ogle was in 2014 to 2016 a central figure in the protest movement against Irish Water's introduction of water charges in Ireland. [10] [11] He was a co-founder of the "Home Sweet Home" campaign, which saw protesters seize the vacant Apollo House in Dublin to house homeless people. [12]

In March 2018, Ogle announced that he would launch a new political party in September. [13] As of August 2023 no such party has been launched.

Ogle is a senior officer in Unite the Union. [14] In 2023 he made a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission about allegations of discrimination, harassment, whistleblower penalisation and the failure to provide reasonable adjustment after he returned to work from cancer treatment. [15] [10]

Ogle unsuccessfully contested the 2024 European Parliament election for the Dublin constituency as an independent candidate. [16] [17]

Personal life

Ogle comes from Dundalk, County Louth, [1] and had eight siblings. [18] He is married to Amanda La Combre. [10] Ogle was diagnosed with throat cancer in July 2020, and is now clear of the disease. [18]

Ogle has been chairman of Dundalk F.C. Supporters' Club. [18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Phelan, Shane (4 February 2014). "Controversial ESB union boss Brendan Ogle to resign". Irish Independent . Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  2. ↑ Finn, Christina (22 September 2013). "Union chief: 'ESB are refusing to engage in discussions'". TheJournal.ie . Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  3. ↑ Paul, Mark (4 February 2014). "Ogle steps down as leader of ESB unions". The Irish Times . Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  4. ↑ Walsh, Anne-Marie (27 August 2011). "ESB's €75,500 staff 'spoilt' -- admits union chief". The Irish Independent . Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  5. ↑ Duffy, Rónán (4 February 2014). "Brendan Ogle said ESB workers were "viciously attacked by some in the media" during the recent pension dispute". BusinessETC . Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  6. ↑ O'Halloran, Barry (27 June 2013). "ESB staff to begin legal action over €1.6bn pension deficit". The Irish Times . Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  7. ↑ Hilliard, Mark (25 November 2013). "ESB union leader says Christmas period will be spared any blackout action". The Irish Times . Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  8. ↑ O'Halloran, Barry (10 December 2013). "Deal confirms ESB liable for pension hole". The Irish Times . Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  9. ↑ Finlay, Fergus (10 December 2013). "Demonisation of ESB union leader Ogle does him an injustice". Irish Examiner . Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 Bourke, Stephen (28 November 2023). "British leadership of Unite union may be called to testify in discrimination case". The Irish Times . Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "'Festival for Change': Calls for voters to protest like it's 2014 at last big rally before election: Organiser Brendan Ogle has predicted it will be "the biggest protest in Ireland ever"". TheJournal.ie . 20 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Horan, Niamh (15 January 2017). "Brendan Ogle: 'You'd have to be sociopathic to enjoy this - and I am not'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  13. ↑ O'Regan, Michael (25 March 2018). "Former union boss Brendan Ogle to launch political party". The Irish Times . Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  14. ↑ Clifford, Mick (18 September 2023). "Brendan Ogle lodges defamation proceedings against Unite trade union". Irish Examiner . Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "WRC to probe discrimination claims by top Unite trade union official in Ireland Brendan Ogle". RTÉ News . 28 November 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Candidates for European Election". Dublin County Returning Officer. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  17. ↑ "European Elections: Dublin". RTÉ News . Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  18. 1 2 3 Rogers, James (4 October 2022). "Well-known Dundalk supporter Brendan Ogle opens up on his cancer battle". The Irish Independent . Dublin. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
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