Screening of Debenhams' picket line documentary

Riverbank Arts Centre are delighted to announce that 406 Days: The Debenhams Picket Line will be screened on Friday, September 15 at 8pm.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A session chaired by Cllr Chris Pender.

Directed by Joe Lee, 406 Days tells the incredible true story of the Debenhams Ireland Picket Line.

On April 9, 2020, nearly 1,000 Irish Debenhams workers, most of them women, received a generic email telling them they were being made redundant.

So began the longest-ever Irish industrial dispute in Ireland. The workers remained on the picket lines, through the Covid-19 pandemic, for 406 days. They faced all challenges and year-round weather - fighting on with boundless courage, determination, and friendship.

Speaking about the former Debenhams workers, not just in Newbridge but also nationally, Cllr Chris Pender says; "In the face of adversity, the Debenhams workers showed us the true meaning of solidarity and resilience. Their story, so powerfully captured in the award-winning documentary ‘406 Days,’ sheds light on a heart-wrenching chapter in Irish labour history.

“The way these workers — 95% of them women — were treated, learning of their redundancy through a generic email, is a testament to the challenges they faced. Their fight wasn’t just about redundancy payments; it was about upholding the dignity and rights of every worker in our country. I stood with them then, and after witnessing their unwavering spirit in the film, I stand with them now.”

406 Days: The Debenhams Picket Line will be screened at Riverbank Arts Centre on Friday 15 September at 8pm.

Tickets are priced €7 (early bird) / €9 (on door) and can be booked through the Box Office, either in person or by telephone on 045 448327 Monday to Friday 9.30am-5pm (closed for lunch 2-2.30) and Saturday 10am-1pm. Tickets can also be booked 24/7 on www.riverbank.ie – Online tickets subject to €1 booking fee per ticket.