Bernie McAdam
Bernie McAdam reports on the latest protests in Ireland against government cut backs
Tens of thousands of workers marched in several protests across Ireland on Friday 6 November against government cutbacks in pay and services. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) organised the demonstrations with many stopping work for the afternoon. Over 70,000 marched in Dublin in a massive display of anti-government anger. Cork had over 15,000 marching, Waterford 10,000, Galway 5,000, Limerick 5,000 Tullamore 4,000, Sligo 5,000, and Dundalk 1,500.
Hundreds attended rallies in several places in the north too. ICTU organised rallies in Belfast, Derry, Newry and seven other towns. The focus of anger here was the cuts in public spending and the need for more jobs in all sectors of the economy.
The Fianna Fail government is planning a further €4 billion cut to public expenditure in the December Budget which will involve 1.3 billion cuts to public sector pay. That’s a pay cut of around 6.5 per cent. This comes hard on the heels of two Budgets in the last twelve months that have slashed €5000 off families’ income through additional taxes and levies.
Already the Irish economy has a jobless rate of 12.5 per cent and expected to rise to 17 per cent next year. Yet the government’s ‘bad bank’ NAMA will cost the taxpayer 60 billion and further capital for Ireland’s ailing banks is inevitable. But no bail out for workers! All seem to agree that working people did not cause this recession but the Irish government are resolute on workers being made to foot the bill.
ICTU leaders have not challenged this assumption that workers have to pay for the crisis. They want a ‘fairer’ deal where everyone mucks in. ICTU President Jack O’Connor said “those at the top of our society, the 5 per cent who own 40 per cent of the wealth, are determined that they will contribute nothing and we are equally determined that they will make their contribution, whether they like it or not.”
ICTU General Secretary David Begg said “We hope that they will look at our plan which is for a more gentle transition in the period of adjustment.” So he wants to string out the cuts not stop them! He also said that it was difficult to see how social partnership could survive if government force through their proposals “I prefer to believe we can maintain some kind of relationship and get some changes in their thinking.”
This strategy is a recipe for disaster. It is a strategy based on talks with the government on how to implement the cuts. It explains their calling off of strikes in March with the result that Cowen’s government has come back for more. In response to the recent protests the government has insisted there will be no change in economic strategy. It is time to ditch the social partnership and organise action now!
Turn November 24th into a general strike
IMPACT, Ireland’s largest public services union with 65,000 members, is the first union to announce a 24 hour strike on November 24. It has urged all other public sector unions to do likewise. Indeed teachers, nurses, civil servants unions are all balloting for action. There is a real possibility of a public sector wide strike. ICTU leaders no doubt will be scurrying around ministers for last minute talks about finding ‘alternatives to pay cuts’ but mounting anger of trades unionists must be heard loud and clear in the form of action to stop any cuts.
All workers should join the strike on November 24. The government is trying to divide public from private sector workers. The fate of the already small and under funded public services is at stake and is the concern of all workers. Mass meetings at workplaces should decide on strike action so that it is not left in the hands of trade union leaders. Private sector workers should raise their demands in such a strike; they should call for a halt to the jobs massacre and demand nationalisation under workers control of factories under threat.
A 24 hour general strike would be a great start to a campaign to stop all the cuts. It will by no means be enough to win this battle as the government can easily weather it and hope it will let off steam. The best and sure fire way to victory is an indefinite general strike where public and private sector workers unite in a common battle to stop the cuts. Action councils which should be built in every locality to co ordinate such a strike and all the resistance to the government. These should draw in trades unionists, pensioners, students, migrant workers and the unemployed. These councils should tap into the vast well of anger throughout Ireland and organise demonstrations and occupations to support all workers in struggle in defence of their jobs and public services.
All out on the 24th!