PAPER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY ISSUE 48 OCTOBER 2009

CONTACT THE SOCIALIST PARTY - (01) 6772592, PO Box 3434, Dublin 8 info@socialistparty.net www.socialistparty.net

INSIDE

Afghanistan:Obama’sunwinnable warp6&7

The Joe HigginsColumn p3

One billion cutsplan for healthservice p4

Dublin’s defiantdockers battle onp11

By Stephen Boyd

THERE CAN be no doubtingthat Ireland is a countryof Them and Us. For them:

NAMA’s €54 billion, €1 millionfor ex-FAS boss, €216,000expenses for John O’Donoghue. For us: pay cuts, social welfare

cuts, child benefit cuts, health cuts,education cuts, new taxes. €4 billionworth of cuts this December to hit thequality of life of every working classman, woman and child!The 6 November ICTU day of

protests is an opportunity for workingclass people to show their oppositionto the government’s attacks. On 21February 120,000 marched and ICTUfollowed this up with their plan for ageneral strike on 30 March only to callit off for nothing more than getting intonew “social partnership” talks. This “sell out” by the union leaders

angered and demoralised many.Workers should question the motivesof the Congress leaders for calling theprotests on 6 November (see articlepage 5). The prospect of new "socialpartnership" talks has been mootedonce again. Statements from ICTUgeneral secretary David Begg and

president Jack O’Connor indicate thattheir horizons are as low as gainingleverage for these talks in order tomitigate the worst aspects of the cuts. Some public sector union leaders

are prepared to concede cuts in serv-ices, working conditions and evenextending the working week as longas there are no pay or job cuts. The Socialist Party completely

rejects this approach. The startingpoint for any movement against cutsin public services and threats to pub-lic sector workers pay, jobs and pen-sions should be how to defeat the gov-ernment’s plans. The 6 November protests should be

upgraded to a 24 hour general strike.There are 650,000 trade union mem-bers in the South. A call by the tradeunion movement for a one-day gener-al strike to defeat the government’sbudget plans would receive the over-whelming support of all workers aswell as the unemployed. The Fianna Fail/Green coalition is

weak. If ICTU was to really take “thegloves off”, they could bring the gov-ernment down and stop the cuts dead. The media will soon be filled with

the “cries” of government ministers,big business leaders and the bought

and paid for charlatan economistswho will be collectively condemningthe unions for threatening the“nations” recovery and internationalreputation. They should be ignored!The country has been brought to the

brink of bankruptcy by Fianna Fail andthose who slavishly support the capi-talist market in whose name 450,000have been condemned to the dole. Give them their answer by coming

out on the 6 November in your hun-dreds of thousands, the unemployed,

the communities faced with cuts invital services, health and educationworkers, private and public sectorworkers united in a common struggleto defend jobs, wages and conditions. Fundamental political change is

needed. The capitalist market thatcaused the crisis should be rejected.We need a mass working class partycommitted to establishing a socialistsociety in which the needs of themajority come first. Join the SocialistParty today.

Fight cuts in pay, jobs & public services

FOR A 24 HOUR

GENERAL STRIKE

“I would urge all working class people, theunemployed and those who fear MinisterLenihans’ savage cuts to join the protests onthe 6 November. Let us makethis a day that Fianna Failand the Greens will neverforget. Let’s make this thestart of a real movement todefeat the cuts”

Joe Higgins MEP(Socialist Party)

October 2009

THE SOCIALIST2

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By Ashling Golden

ON 30 September 12,000community sector work-

ers took to the streets ofDublin to march against theproposed cuts in theMcCarthy report. This marchwhich was organised by tradeunions and the groupCommunities Against Cuts.Many different groups wererepresented from all over thecountry: community develop-ment groups, youth services,addiction projects, as well asJob Initiate Workers andCommunity Employmentworkers.

The community sector was out toprotest against the proposed savagecuts to their jobs and services. If thegovernment implements the pro-posed McCarthy cuts, this yearalone 6,500 workers of the 60,000workforce could lose their jobsimmediately and more will follow inthe coming years.

Services are also being savagelyattacked with community develop-ment programmes and partner-ships losing €44 million, drugs proj-ects losing €2.6 million, youth proj-ects and voluntary supports losing€10million and the complete axing

of Job Initiative Schemes andCommunity Employment schemeswhich are vital to keeping commu-nity programmes running.

These proposed cuts will hithardest the most marginalised anddisadvantaged areas in the country,the areas that need these servicesand supports the most. The govern-ment are happy to bail out thebanks and the developers but willstand by and watch the basic serv-ices fought for and gained by com-munities over the last few years godown the plug-hole. The govern-ment are happy to give out goldenhand-shakes to their cronies to thevalue of running a large communitydevelopment project for up to eightyears, yet they claim these aretough actions that need to be taken.

With this march the communitysector has said no way to suchhypocrisy and no to the disgracefultreatment of their sector. This isonly the beginning, campaigns tounionise this sector are underway.Strike action is being discussed andword is spreading on the streets oflocal communities, now is time tostand up and fight to save our jobsand services. We cannot do not letthe government go ahead with their

plans to destroy the com-munity sector.

Strike action can defeatcommunity sector cuts

By Councillor Mick Barry

TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowenhas claimed, incredibly,

that NAMA does not repre-sent a bailout of the banks!

Not only does it represent abailout, it is, per head of popula-tion, one of the largest bankbailouts ever seen anywhere inthe world.

Fianna Fail and the Green Partyare proposing that €54 billion beused to buy the banks’ toxic devel-oper debts. This is at least €7 bil-lion more than the estimated mar-ket value of these debts. UCDProfessor of Economics, MorganKelly, has predicted that the pro-posed NAMA gamble will end upcosting the taxpayer €30 billion.

The government argue that it isnecessary to take the toxic devel-oper loans off the banks’ loanbooks to give the banks the where-withal to start lending again to cit-

izens and businesses.There is nothing, however, to

stop the banks using the bulk of theNAMA money for other purposessuch as paying off debts, buildingup reserves, etc. However, even ifyou were to accept this logic it can-not explain the €36 billion worth ofdebt purchased from Anglo IrishBank and the Irish NationwideBuilding Society.

A mere 11% of Anglo’s loanswere to businesses not involved inthe property sector and just 22%of Irish Nationwide’s loan bookinvolved residential properties. Isthe government telling us thatthey are bailing out these banks toget them to provide a useful socialfunction that they never fulfilled inthe first place?

The same government that isbailing out the banks is planningto make €3,000 million worth ofBudget cutbacks. Health MinisterHarney plans to make more than a

billion euro worth of cuts. Socialand Family Affairs MinisterHanafin plans to either cut, tax ormeans test children’s allowance.Taoiseach Brian Cowen is drop-ping dark hints about more cuts inpublic sector pay.

There is to be no bailout for thehealth service and no NAMA forworking people.

Fianna Fail’s support has plum-meted from the 40s to the 30s tothe 20s and one recent poll evenput their support in the teens!They can go even lower with aBudget that includes these cuts inthe aftermath of a massive bankbailout.

But working class people cannotwait for the next general election.We need to stop the cuts now.That’s why we are calling for anational 24-hour general strike asthe first step in a real campaign tofight the cuts and to make the richpay.

No NAMA for working people!

By Kevin McLoughlin

ASIGNIFICANT 2:1majority, on a higherturnout, passed the

Lisbon Treaty overturningthe decision of June 2008.

It is clear that the economic cri-sis served to shift opinion acrossthe board to a yes vote becausemany people felt that passing theTreaty might boost Ireland’sprospects for economic recovery.

Last year, Lisbon was rejectedbecause people feared the conse-quences of the changes it wouldbring to the EU and because of adistrust of the political establish-ment. For a majority this timearound the actual Treaty and itscontents were secondary to theeconomic crisis.

In a well-prepared and financedcampaign, the political and busi-ness establishment left no stoneunturned. There was the carrot,“Yes to Jobs”, “Yes for Recovery”,but then also the stick with threatsthat a rejection of the LisbonTreaty for a second time would

lead to economic disaster. As Joe Higgins commented, fear

was at the heart of the Yes cam-paign. The idea was spread thatthe chief executives of the hugelyprofitable multinationals were atDublin airport with their suitcasespacked ready to flee in the event ofa no vote.

In company after company, boss-es intervened with their work-forces, by email and directly, pres-suring for a yes vote. Any pretenceof balance in the media was endedand in the last week of the cam-paign - 65% of articles on Lisbonargued for a yes vote with only 15%supporting the no side.

With a week to go polls indicatedthat of those who had made uptheir minds, 60% were yes and 40%were no. However, it seems thosewho made up their minds in thelast week went overwhelmingly tothe yes side on the basis of the cri-sis in the economy.

The yes campaign played up theidea that a rejection of Lisbon for asecond time would sideline Irelandin the EU. The idea that a No vote

would mean a two track EU withIreland on the outside was pushedby government ministers. Giventhat more than 70% of peoplebelieve that Ireland is economical-ly better off in the EU, plus theirfears that the economic crisiswould worsen, it is understandablethat a majority decided to vote yes.

It is ironic that at this point thepeople who caused the economiccrisis, big business and the capital-ist political establishment in Irelandand the EU, where actually able touse the crisis to get Lisbon passed.

There are some parallels withthe vote in the 2007 general elec-tion. Then, a significant portion ofpeople voted for Fianna Fail - in theabsence of any real alternative - inthe hope that voting for the samegovernment may help maintaineconomic growth.

Since then, Fianna Fail’s supporthas fallen to historic lows, and nowin a complete reversal of that elec-tion, more than 80% disapprove ofthis hated government. Likewisethe basis of this yes vote will dis-appear.

This will turn out to be a pyrrhicvictory. Lisbon won’t aid any eco-nomic recovery in Ireland orEurope. In fact it will be used tomake ordinary people pay a veryheavy price for the crisis in theyears ahead. The lie about econom-ic recovery combined with the bul-lying methods of the yes campaignwill come back to haunt the estab-lishment and will deepen the angerin society.

That one third of voters rejectedthe Treaty for a second time is sig-nificant, given the huge campaignthat the establishment ran with thesupport of Labour and a majority oftrade union leaders.

It is clear from the figures thatin middle class and more wealthyareas, support for Lisbon was 90%plus. In contrast, amongst workingclass people the vote was moreevenly split but in many areaslarge majorities, once again,rejected Lisbon. Working classpeople who voted yes did so withlittle enthusiasm and without inany way diminishing their opposi-tion to the government.

The biggest single issue in thecampaign was probably workers’rights. This reflected the opposi-tion to attacks on jobs, pay andconditions but also is a complimentto the role of the Socialist Party andin particular our MEP, Joe Higgins.Joe was the clearest and mosteffective leader of the no campaign.

The Socialist Party fought a verystrong no campaign with thou-sands of posters and over half amillion leaflets, on the issues ofworkers’ rights, democratic rights,defence of public services, andopposition to militarism.

Whatever effect that the Lisbonresult has in strengthening thehand of big business can be over-come by mobilising the power ofthe working class against theattacks on jobs, pay and publicservices.

Out of the inevitable struggles inthe months ahead, the need for areal alternative to the crisis andcapitalism will become muchclearer to many people and willcreate huge opportunities to buildsupport for a socialist alternative.

Government not strengthened by Yes voteLisbon Treaty

3October 2009

THE SOCIALIST

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No NAMA for working people!

Government not strengthened by Yes vote

By Stephen Boyd

WHEN ICTU’s generalsecretary DavidBegg spoke about

the government’s plan to cutpublic spending by €4 billionhe said “What they are tryingto do is too brutal, too soonand will militate against thepossibility of any short-termtransition to a new environ-ment”. David Begg and manyother ICTU leaders are notactually opposed to what thegovernment are trying to do –they only differ on the scaleof the cuts and the timeframeover which they should beimplemented.

David Begg has made it clearthat he opposes the governments’plans to implement major cuts inpublic expenditure in order toreduce borrowing by 2013 to withinthe 3% range set by the EuropeanCentral Bank. Begg says theyshould go more slowly and makethe cuts over a longer period withthe target date of 2017. He still sup-ports the cuts, just spread out overa longer period of time!

These cuts will decimate thehealth service, damage our chil-dren’s education, impoverish peo-ple dependent on social welfareand put thousands of workers onthe breadline.

ICTU’s decision to stage a day ofprotest on 6 November was arrivedat after much “wailing and gnash-ing of teeth” at the Congress exec-

utive. Trade union leaders aredivided over which is the best wayto deal with the crisis facing theirmembers.

The union leaders are dividednot over how to fight and stop thegovernment’s attacks and theemployers’ race to the bottom butover the terms of entering new“social partnership” talks!

Most of the trade union leadersare out of touch with reality. Notsurprising when many of them earnover €100,000 a year and haven’t aclue about the lives of ordinaryworkers. But more than this – amajority of the union leaders sup-port the capitalist market systemthat caused the economic crisisand they believe there is no alter-native to the government or theopposition’s plans for major cuts.

Working class people areenraged by the impact of the eco-nomic crisis on their lives. Forthem it is not about doing dealswith Fianna Fail and the bosses butabout trying to survive.

The anger of trade union mem-bers has pushed the union leadersfurther than they wanted to go.IMPACT is balloting for strikeaction in the event of a threat totheir members’ jobs or pay despitethe fact that some of its leaders areopposed to organising the 6November protests!

SIPTU has lodged a 3.5% payclaim for its 34,000 members in theHSE. Yet SIPTU and ICTU presidentJack O’Connor has said he wouldengage with the government in

fresh talks if it had a propositionworthy of consideration!

Important and powerful forcesare now aligned against workingclass people. The government hasbeen joined by the media, IBEC,ISME, the ESRI and Fine Gael in aconcerted campaign to get socialwelfare payments cut, the mini-mum wage reduced and to slashpublic sector workers’ pay. Twentythousand public sector jobs areunder threat. This will mean thatthousands of teachers, nurses, doc-tors and others will lose their jobs.

The response of the ICTU lead-ers is not enough. The SocialistParty believes that the 6 Novemberprotests should be turned into aone day general strike that couldstop all of the cuts by bringingdown the government.

The union leaders have it in theirpower to mobilise all 650,000 oftheir members and their families inthe biggest day of strikes andprotests this country has ever wit-nessed. Brian Cowen’s weak gov-ernment would crumble at the feetof such a movement.

Unfortunately, unless the unionleaders have a “road to Damascus”experience a general strike will notbe called. The majority of the unionleaders are a liability and shouldbe removed.

Get active in your union. Getorganised. Let’s build a majoropposition based on the idea ofreturning the trade unions to thecontrol of the members, to usetheir power and resources to fightfor jobs, oppose all cuts and createa society that puts the needs ofworking class people first.

Stop the cutsAll out on

6 November!

Bring down the government

By Paul Murphy

FORTY-THREE workers at the Manor ParkNursing Home in Edgeworthstown, Co.Longford are facing into their twentieth week

of strike action. This nursing home was sold by theSisters of Mercy to a new owner, John McGibney.

He has refused to engage with their SIPTU representa-tives and demanded that the workers accept a series of

extremely harsh new conditions including: 50% reduction inbasic pay; end of overtime and Sunday premiums; end ofthe sick pay scheme; end of their occupational pension; endof the check off system for SIPTU subs – which wouldamount to derecognition of their union.

In response to this vicious attack, the workers have con-ducted a solid strike for 19 weeks. In response, McGibneyhas brought in migrant workers to scab on the strike. Thestrikers have received a very positive response from the

residents and the families. However, the Sisters of Mercyhave assisted the new employer.

Although this is a private nursing home, some of the res-idents have their residence subsidised by the HSE. Thismeans the race to the bottom is being supported by a stateagency. These workers must be supported in their struggleagainst this attack on their basic rights and conditions. IfMcGibney is successful, it would open the way for a morewidespread race to the bottom in the nursing home sector.

By Terry Kelleher, CPSU Trustee(personal capacity)

ACCORDING TO BrianCowen, Enda Kenny,Michael O’Leary and

the ESRI, the public sector isoverpaid, overstaffed andinefficient and the best wayto end the economic crisis isto sack thousands of publicsector workers and cut thepay and pensions of the rest!

The ESRI published out of dateand completely inaccurate statis-tics claiming that public sectorworkers were paid much morethan private sector workers.

The main grade in the civil serv-ice is clerical officer. The startingpay for a clerical officer is €400 aweek and after having worked for16 years that increases to thegrand sum of €700 a week. The

majority of CPSU members are lowpaid and struggling to make endsmeet after the imposition of thepension levy and the other budgettax increases.

Public sector workers are angry.They are sick of being vilified bypoliticians and media pundits likeEddie Hobbs who recently said that“we” had a choice of either socialwelfare cuts that will hurt the most

vulnerable in society, or cuts in pub-lic sector workers’ pay and job loss-es. Well Eddie, you can stuff yourchoice because public sector work-ers are not prepared to be scape-goated for a crisis caused by yourmates in Fianna Fail, the bankersand the greedy speculators.

Public sector workers are start-ing to fight back. Thousands ofnurses, firefighters, gardai and sol-

diers have been meeting to discusshow they can stop the govern-ment’s attacks. IMPACT are ballot-ing their 55,000 members for strikeaction in the event of the govern-ment trying to impose pay cuts andjob losses.

But public sector workers bewarned - leading officials in somepublic sector unions are preparedto “oppose” pay cuts and job lossesby supporting the extension of yourworking week without extra pay!

There should be no deals withthe government. The starting posi-tion must be - what we have wehold – we will not accept any cutsin pay, pensions or jobs. We need aunited and co-ordinated campaignthat links all 300,000 public sectorworkers.

Public sector spending cuts willhurt the economy and cause morejob losses in the private sector. The

last two austerity budgets havealready taken the equivalent of 5%of GDP out of the economy. Cuts ineducation and health and in allother areas of the public sector willimpact on the quality of life of ourchildren and all working class peo-ple no matter where you work!

Workers must resist the divideand rule tactics of the right wingparties and their lackeys in themedia. Private sector and publicsector workers will be united on the6 November in the major demon-strations against the government.That unity must be built upon.

A one-day public sector strikewould bring the government to itsknees. Public sector workersshould get motions passed callingon their unions to organise for aone-day public sector strike. Let’sbuild up the pressure and take thefight to the government.

Defend jobs, pay, pensions and servicesFor a one-day public sector strike to stop the cuts

Support strikers at Manor Park Nursing Home

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By Michael Murphy

“HEALTH CUTS hurtthe old, the sickand the handi-

capped” was the cynical slo-gan used by Fianna Fáil in the1980s to get re-elected. Ondoing so in 1987 they went ona rampage of devastation inthe health service. They arenow prepared to do it againthis time with the complicitsupport of the Green Party.

On foot of the McCarthy report,the next budget is likely to containa series of cuts that will impact onordinary people in a multitude ofways. However with €1.2 billion inhealth cuts likely, the budget willhave a devastating effect on thehealth service. It will be thrownright back to the dark days of the1980’s when successive govern-ments involving the main estab-lishment parties slashed andburned the service, cutting 3,000beds across the country resultingin massive ward closures.

Despite the Celtic Tiger boomwhich resulted in a certain increasein health funding albeit fromextremely low levels, the healthservice has never recovered fromthe cuts of the 1980s and many ofthe problems currently facing hos-pitals stem from that time.

The recent figures releasedshowed that over 144,000 bed dayswere lost in the first half of 2009graphically illustrate this point. A

lack of beds is part of the problem,but so is the absence of step-downfacilities for patients, mainly theelderly who are well enough toleave hospital but have no place togo and so remain in hospitalunnecessarily taking up beds thatcould be used for other patients.This is one indictment of the lackof investment and progress overdecades.

Minister for Health Mary Harneyhaving stood over this shambles for

the last seven years, recently askedthe HSE to cut €800 million fromtheir budget and has now asked foran additional cut of €400 million.

The decision of ICTU to call amass protest on 6 November is asignificant and important step forworkers and their families infighting back against this anti -worker government. The massiveturnout at the frontline workers’meetings of 1,000 in Cork and1,500 in Sligo illustrates the mas-

sive anger among health staff andother “frontline” workers at thegovernment attacks on theirwages and conditions.

This anger must be built uponand linked to a mass campaign tostop this government’s attacks onworkers’ jobs and conditions andkick them from office.

All those who have been victimof the government’s health cutsshould organise and build to partic-ipate in this demonstration.

By Liam Cullinane

EAMON RYAN, Green Partyminister, has announced

that there will definitely be acarbon tax in December’sbudget.

The introduction of a carbon taxwould affect everything from theprice of petrol to basic necessitiessuch as coal and home-heating oil,putting a further strain on thealready depleted incomes of ordi-nary people who are facing levies,pay cuts and mass unemployment.Additionally, the tax would have adisproportionate impact on lower-income families. According to theERSI, the tax would cost the poor-est households in the state asmuch as €3.50 per week, or €168 ayear, as well as driving up prices ingeneral.

The Green Party claim the tax is avictory for the environment, but thisis blatantly false. Ordinary working

people are forced to use fossil fuelsbecause they have little choice inthe matter. People commuting towork often lack the alternative of acheap, reliable public transport sys-tem and instead find themselvestaking the car out of necessity.

If the Greens are genuinely con-cerned about the environment then

why do they continue to supportthe cutbacks in Dublin Bus and BusEireann? Surely, a party genuinelyconcerned with the environmentwould not be playing a leading rolein cutting bus routes across thecountry? If they were truly commit-ted to saving the environment,would they not instead be defend-

ing these services? In fact, wouldthey not be investing in new routes,new technologies, better vehiclesand a rural transport network forthose travelling to work in townsand cities? There is nothing greenabout the carbon tax. It is simplyanother attack on working peopleand a new tax being introducedunder the guise of protecting theenvironment.

It is not ordinary people whoare responsible for the environ-mental disaster faced by the plan-et. The biggest causes of climatechange are the capitalist multina-tionals that produce enormouscarbon emissions each year for thesake of short-term profit.According to the UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-Moon, “We haveless than 10 years to avoid theworst-case scenario . . . The Arcticwill be nearly ice-free by late2030”. If this scenario is to beavoided, these corporations have

to be challenged on an internation-al scale. The Green Party has nointention of doing this.

The hypocrisy of the Greens,decimating public transport whilecynically dressing up anti-workertaxes as green and pro-enviro-ment, is a joke that will not foolworkers and those genuinely con-cerned about climate change.

With the climate crisis set toaffect millions of people worldwide,what is needed instead is hugeinvestment in cheap, efficient pub-lic transport to get people out oftheir cars and onto buses andtrains, as well as massive fundingfor environmentally sustainablegreen technology.

Not only would these measuresbenefit the planet but they couldalso provide employment for tensof thousands of unemployed work-ers. Only through such initiativescan the threat of environmentaldisaster be averted.

By Anthony Hetherington

HSE STAFF working in themedical cards section

throughout the state havevowed to fight plans to closelocal medical cards offices.

As reported in The Socialist lastmonth, the HSE plans to close localoffices and centralise the service toa back office in Dublin.

The union representing theworkers, IMPACT, did an about-

turn and over-ruled a national bal-lot overwhelmingly in favour ofindustrial action against the HSE’smove. IMPACT cited the changedeconomic conditions and govern-ment threats to introduce pay cutsand attack workers’ pensions andjob security as reasons it shouldn’tfight this battle!

Understandably, workers wereextremely unhappy with the unionofficials’ decision and some mem-bers have challenged it. Union

members from around the statemet in Dublin to discuss the wayforward in this battle. To beginwith, a campaign action group ofworkers is to be established tofight centralisation of medicalcards. This will be expanded tofight on other issues. A leaflet willbe produced explaining the eventsof the last few months and propos-ing a way to fight on.

Lunch time protests are expect-ed to be organised in Dublin as the

next offices to be centralised at thebeginning of October (following theRathdown Road office) are alsoDublin-based. After Dublin, theHSE South is mooted to move. This"divide and conquer" tactic willmove the battle to Cork, Kerry,Waterford, Wexford, andKilkenny/Carlow.

Nationally these workers havealready been balloted and wereprepared to take official strikeaction until IMPACT over-turned

the ballot decision. The urgency tofight is greater now and thoseworkers will need to organisequickly to fight this.

Centralisation will move theservice away from the public whenit is needed most needed.

The Socialist Party is supportingthe workers who are trying to pro-tect the service for the public andto their jobs, and is calling onIMPACT to support their membersand uphold the ballot.

Green Party’s carbon tax fraud

Medical card staff fight HSE closures

One billion cuts plan for health service

� 6,000 health care staffstand to lose their jobs andpay, overtime and otherallowances will be among thecuts for those left behind. � €50 million in cutbacksfor the voluntary groupswhich provide disability andmental health services, aswell as the suspension ofrecruitment to psychologicalservices for children� Revising medical cardeligibility thresholdsdownwards will hit the mostvulnerable in society. Thosein poverty, or at risk of it,can’t afford private care andare more likely to fall ill.� Drugs Payment Schemethreshold likely to be revisedupwards � Income eligibility formedical cards to be lowered� A €60 million reduction tothe funding of special needsassistants.� Increased hospital charges� A prescription charge onmedical card so in essencethe loss of the entitlementto free medication on amedical card – there isspeculation that the initialcharge will be €5, but ofcourse that’s only where itwill start.

McCarthy’smenu ofcutbacks

ALL DAY hundreds of taxidrivers occupied O’ Connell Stin the heart of Dublin City. TheGarda were forced to close thestreet to all traffic. Theprotest continued throughoutthe night and into the morningof 2 October when Ireland wasvoting on the Lisbon Treaty.The depth of the anger of the

taxi drivers was evident to any-body who listened to theirstory. They have been the vic-tims of extreme deregulationwhich is a policy pushed inIreland and in the EuropeanUnion for decades now.Previously there was an

acute shortage of taxis inDublin and in other parts ofIreland. But instead of having areasonable approach and dis-

cussions with both drivers andtaxi users, the FiannaFail/Progressive Democratsgovernment went for the ulti-mate "solution" of the capital-ist market. They allowed thecities to be flooded with taxis.Now breadwinners who are

taxi drivers can work morethan sixty hours a week andstill come home with a paltrywage. This is putting enormouspressure on drivers and ontheir families. Tragically inrecent times this kind of pres-sure has resulted in a numberof taxi drivers taking their ownlives.Taxi drivers have been at the

sharpest edge of the neoliberalmodel of capitalism. Theirplight shows the raw effects of

the "deregulation" and "liber-alisation" so beloved of theEuropean Union establishment.Now other groups of workersare being similarly treated.Workers at Coca Cola, and atManor Park Nursing Home inLongford, together with Mr.Binman workers in Tipperaryas well as MTL dockers inDublin, are all on strike inresponse to savage attacks ontheir wages and conditions.These strikes and the protest

of the taxi drivers put thewhole debate that took placearound the Lisbon Treaty inperspective. The fact is thataccording to Irish and EU law, itis quite legal to put workersunder this disgusting pressurein the interest of profits. Thereis absolutely nothing in theCharter of Fundamental Rightsthat would change anything inthat regard.

What this means is thatworkers have to rely on theirown strength to carve out theirrights. That will become moreand more essential as the pres-sure increases to push wagesdownwards and worsen work-ing conditions. Leadership isnow critically needed from thetrade unions. It is simplyincredible that while thegroups of workers mentionedhere are on strike, work is car-rying on in their workplaces bystrike-breakers.It is also incredible that

products handled by strike-breakers such as Coca Cola,are being delivered to, and soldin shops, including shopswhere the workers are organ-ised in trade unions. Manytrade union leaders are terri-fied of challenging the repres-sive injunctions given by theHigh Court against many of the

striking groups.But the workers’ movement

only made progress in the pastby challenging and breakinglaws that were deployedagainst them. In the immediateperiod ahead there will bemore and more workers feelingthe rough edge of neoliberal-ism. Inevitably there will bemovements of resistance in theform of mass mobilisations todefend rights. The need for this should be

raised and discussed as a mat-ter of urgency. Even now allthose groups of workers whoare fighting their individualbattles should put massivepressure on their trade unionSIPTU and on the Congress ofTrade Unions to coordinate ajoint fight and effective soli-darity action to bring theirgreed-driven employers toheel.

“... the workers’ movement only madeprogress in the past by challenging andbreaking laws that were deployed againstthem.”

The

JOEHIGGINSColumn

By Councillor Clare Daly

RESIDENTS IN Bracken-wood in Balbriggan and

Chapel Farm in Lusk willappear in court on 15 Octoberto defend themselves againstcourt action taken againstthem by their managementcompanies for the "crime" ofnon-payment of managementfees.

All over Dublin and beyond,those who bought their propertiesduring the boom, many of whichare in serious negative equity, areprecisely the same victims of themanagement company scam. Thissystem exploded at the same timeas mixed developments of houses,apartments and duplexes, whereinstead of the common areasbeing maintained by the developerand then handed over to the localauthority, to be maintained as apublic service, they were to be“managed” by a managementcompany in return for a heftycharge!! A double, if not a trebletaxation!

Little if any service is providedin most of these communities.From the beginning those hit withthese fees in standard housingobjected to the fact that they were

being hit for fees for serviceswhich are provided as a publicservice in established communi-ties. Owners of duplexes and apart-ments, where some services suchas insurance and a sinking fundmust be provided collectively,objected to the lack of transparen-cy of these companies and theinability of the residents to have asay.

The result- huge levels of non-payment and a ticking time bombin these communities, where virtu-ally no maintenance is providedand residents find themselvesbeing threatened, intimidated andpursued for arrears. With so manypeople experiencing cuts in theirpay and conditions, and manymore losing their jobs, it is now notjust a case of “Won’t Pay!”, but also“Can’t Pay!”

Government promises to dealwith the rip-off have been as hollowas all their other promises andhard-pressed residents are left topick up the pieces. AcrossBalbriggan from Martello,Chieftains Way, Barons’ Hall,Bremore Pastures andBrackenwood, not a day goes bywithout residents having to dealwith this issue. More and more aredeciding that enough is enough and

they are not going to be bullied anylonger.

We are encouraging residents togo along to the court and supporttheir neighbours on 15 October.These companies are relying onthreats to frighten in the money.This is disgraceful. There isabsolutely nothing they can doagainst non-payers without firstbringing you to court and establish-ing the debt against you. This is notautomatic. In many instances thecases have been struck outbecause the management companydidn’t show, in others the bills havebeen reduced because the residentshowed that work which wascharged for wasn’t being done.

Not only are residents defend-ing court cases, they are also con-ducting surveys among theirneighbours to establish whetherpeople want to request the Councilto take in charge the commonareas as part of a battle to get ridof these companies for standardhousing and to have a more fairand equitable system for theapartments.

Only by organising together canresidents get results on this issue.Local Socialist Party Councillorswill give any advice and assistancethat is needed.

Management Companies Residents organise to stop the rip-off

By Cllr. Matt Waine

NAOMH PEREGRINE’S GAA club in Blakestown, Dublin 15 hasdecided to erect a mobile phone mast on its property 100metres from the local secondary school and less than 200metres from the primary school with no regard to thewelfare of school children and the local commu-nity. The decision was slammed at an angrymeeting of over 50 residents, organised bylocal Socialist Party councillors RuthCoppinger and Matt Waine.Despite a number of meetings for mem-

bers of the club, there had been no con-sultation with the wider communitybefore the decision to proceed wastaken at an Extraordinary GeneralMeeting on 14 September.At that meeting, club officials deliv-

ered a one-sided presentation claimingthere were absolutely no health hazards associatedwith phone masts. The reality is however, that it istoo soon to be definitive about the long term effectsof phone masts. Indeed many studies have show thatchildren are more susceptible to radio-frequencyradiation and some scientific evidence shows thatradio-frequency (RF) radiation may affect biologicalfunction. The Stewart Report, commissioned by the British

government, entitled Mobile phones and health, con-cluded: "It is not possible to say that exposure to RFradiation, even at levels below national guidelines, istotally without adverse health effects and the gapsin the knowledge are sufficient to justify a precau-tionary approach." A precautionary approach wouldavoid placing phone masts beside schools.The club have sought to justify their proposal by

claiming that siting the mast on their propertywould mean an annual income of €10,000. Thiswould also mean other masts could be locatedthere in the future. However, notwithstanding thedebts the club has, it has survived and flourishedthrough difficult financial times in the pastthrough the sacrifice and fundraising of the mem-bers and the community.We recognise the positive contribution the club

has made over many years, however we believe theway forward now is not to compromise the health ofthe community in the future.

Blakestown residents pledge tofight phone mast

Cold welcomefor LenihanIf Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan,thinks we’ll forget all about his multi-billioneuro bailout for Fianna Fail’s financialbackers, he is very much mistaken. 25Socialist Party members and residentsturned up to “greet” him as he arrived atthe Crown Plaza hotel in Blanchardstown tospeak at a public meeting. We gave him amessage to take back to his banker friends: “Bank of Ireland, AIB, you’ll not getanymore from me!”

5THE SOCIALIST

october 2009

opin

ion

new

sOne billion cuts plan for health service

October 20096

featu

reTHE SOCIALIST

THIS CHILLING descrip-tion was of the result of acriminal air strike by

NATO and US warplanes on theKunduz River in Afghanistanthat killed 90 people who wereseeking to get fuel from twostalled tankers. Many of thosekilled were children carryingbuckets and cooking pots.

This is only one example of manyof the brutal consequences of whatBarack Obama has called a "goodwar" and the "war of necessity" thatUS and NATO are waging inAfghanistan. This war is supposed tostand in contrast to his predecessor's"bad war" and "war of choice" in Iraq.In reality this war and occupationwas waged by then Bush administra-tion eight years ago this month tobolster the power and prestige of USimperialism in the aftermath ofevents of 11 September.

As it finds itself bogged down in adeeper quagmire the Obama admin-istration is seeking to escalate thewar in order to try and defeat aresurgent Taliban. He has appointedGeneral Stanley McChrystal to com-mand US forces in Afghanistan. Thismonth he recommended that 45,000extra troops be deployed bringing thetotal number of US forced inAfghanistan to over 100,000. This ison top of the 74,000 private militarycontractors based in the country. It isbelieved that McChrystal intends toincrease the number of US and NATOforces in Afghanistan to over 500,000in the coming years.

Thousands of Afghan civilians havebeen killed as a result of the intensi-

fication of the war this year. This isparticularly true given the increasein the blanket bombing of differentparts of the country.

Casualties are also mountingamongst NATO and US forces, Julyand August were the two highestmonths in terms of the number of sol-diers killed since the war began. Thisyear has seen a 108% rise in thenumber of roadside bombings. In theKandahar province attacks on NATOare at on all time high. An indicationof the weakness of imperialism is thefact that Canadian forces haveretreated to simply defendingKandahar City from Taliban forces.

Along with the horrific human costof the intensification of the war it isestimated that €100 billion will haveto be spent in order to deploy moretroops and equipment. This comes ata time of increasing economic hard-ship for millions of US workers. Withthe rising death toll and chaos theAfghan war is becoming increasinglyunpopular amongst the Americanpublic, in a recent poll over 54% saidthat they opposed it. A further 61%believe that the war is going badlyand only 25% support more US troopsbeing sent there. The Brown govern-ment in Britain is also coming undersignificant political pressure as aresult of mounting casualties. Recentopinion polls have shown that themajority of the British populationwants the immediate withdrawal oftroops.

The farce of the recent Presidentialelection illustrates the absence ofany real democracy in Afghanistanwith widespread vote rigging by the

supporters of President HamidKarzai. In the province of Kandahar,where Karzai is from, 350,000 voteswere recorded despite the fact thatonly 25,000 people actually voted. Hissupporters also set up 800 fakepolling stations and the boxes inanother 800 stations were stuffedwith fake ballot papers. It is estimat-ed that 27% of the votes were sus-pect. Not surprisingly Karzaiemerged as the "victor" and even lesssurprisingly was the glowingendorsement he received from therepresentatives of this colonial occu-pation in the aftermath of the elec-tion. The British Ambassador toAfghanistan described the result "asa bad day for the Taliban and a goodday for democracy". Similarly Obamacame out and gave his stamp ofapproval to this fraudulent "election".

From the outset of the occupationKarzai has been the handpickedfavourite of the US. Corruption andopium production have flourishedunder his reign and he and his sup-porters have little or no control orauthority over the majority of thecountry. He has been contemptuous-ly called "the Mayor of Kabul".Afghanistan now produces 90% of the

world's opium production; in factKarzai's brother is the biggest dealerof opium in the country. While he andhis supporters have lived a lavishlifestyle it has been a different storyfor the majority of the Afghan popula-tion. Fifty three percent of the popu-lation lives on less than €1 a day and77% lack access to clean drinkingwater. The war, occupation andpoverty in the country have onlyhelped strengthen the hand of theTaliban insurgency.

Little has also changed for womensince the toppling of the Talibanregime eight years ago. The literacyrate stands at less than 13% whilelife expectancy remains at 44 years.In fact the number of women who aredying in childbirth has risen since2001. The Karzai regime hasenshrined Sharia Law into the consti-tution and has even gone as far as totry and legalise marital rape.

The war in Afghanistan has recent-ly called "Obama's Vietnam". Like theVietnam War it is one that is spillingover into its neighbouring country, inthis case Pakistan bringing the death,destruction and horror with it. InApril the Pakistani government, atthe behest of US imperialism,

launched a military offensive againstTaliban forces based in the SwatValley in the North West FrontierProvince (NWFP).

Thirteen thousand civilians havebeen killed in this impoverishedregion as a result of the fighting while30,000 homes have been destroyed.Aid agencies such as the Red Crosshave compared the situation toBosnia and Rwanda. Two millionrefugees have been forced to fleetheir homes; this is the greatest dis-placement of people in this regionsince the bloody partition of theIndian sub continent in 1947.

Obama has seen the situation inAfghanistan and Pakistan as a priori-ty as his regime his fearful of the con-sequences of the Taliban coming topower in a country armed withnuclear weapons. HistoricallyPakistan has had enormous strategicimportance for US imperialism; thisis particularly with the growth ofrivalry with China in recent in years.

Like Afghanistan the Taliban hasdrawn its support and growth fromthe Pashtun population in the region.The war will undoubtedly add to thegrowing instability in the country andindeed may threaten its break-up as

differences between the various eth-nic groups.

This instability has been exacer-bated by the downturn in the globaleconomy with Pakistan being badlyhit by the downturn. Inflation standsat 25% while its national currencyhas lost 21% of its value. With anescalating war more its resourceswill undoubtedly be directed towardsits bloated military expenditure thataccounts for 25% of GDP.

Added to this is the complete lackof support of the regime of Asif AliSadari of the Pakistan People's Party.Like Karzai he is notoriously corruptand a puppet of the United States.While is wife Benazir Bhutto was inpower he amassed a personal fortuneof $1 billion by dipping into the staterevenues. This gave him the nick-name "Mr. ten percent" as he stole 10%of the income of government. Thescale of the corruption under his ownPresidency has led to him being called"Mr. fifty percent". It is highly unlikelythat a regime such as this will be ableto militarily defeat the Taliban in theNWFP given its lack of base of supportwithin Pakistani society.

The war and destruction that hasbeen visited on the people of

Afghanistan and Pakistan by theObama administration stands instark contrast to his promise to bringabout "change we can believe in" interms of US foreign policy. In realityhe has simply shifted resources fromthe war in Iraq to this war with dev-astating consequences. Like Iraq itappears highly unlikely that the USwill be able to defeat those that areresisting the occupation ofAfghanistan. With the US economydeteriorating further military set-backs for imperialism will add to thepressure on his Presidency.

The Socialist Party stands for theimmediate withdrawal of all occupy-ing forces. We believe that the com-ing to power of a reactionary Talibanregime in Afghanistan or Pakistanoffers no solution to the war andoccupation of the country. In the faceof this horror without end there is anurgent need for a socialist movementinternationally that will build solidar-ity with the poor and oppressed ofthis region, particularly with thePakistani working class with its mili-tant traditions. Such a movement canoffer an alternative to a world of cap-italist economic crisis, war andpoverty. �

OBAMA'SUNWINNABLE

WARPRAY!

“The war in Afghanistan isworth the effort we are makingand the sacrifice”- US vice president Joe Biden

(BBC News 23/7/2009)“‘It was a scene from hell,’ saidMohammed Daud, a witness.‘Hands, legs and body partswere scattered everywhere’”(John Pilger, New Statesman,

17/9/2009)

Afghanistan:

The brother of Afghanpresident Hamid Karzai(LEFT) is reported to beon eof the biggest drugtrafficers in the country.Despite the vote, womenin Afghanistan aremasssively discriminatedagainst. Over 2,000 UStroops are now dead.

7October 2009

THE SOCIALIST

THIS CHILLING descrip-tion was of the result of acriminal air strike by

NATO and US warplanes on theKunduz River in Afghanistanthat killed 90 people who wereseeking to get fuel from twostalled tankers. Many of thosekilled were children carryingbuckets and cooking pots.

This is only one example of manyof the brutal consequences of whatBarack Obama has called a "goodwar" and the "war of necessity" thatUS and NATO are waging inAfghanistan. This war is supposed tostand in contrast to his predecessor's"bad war" and "war of choice" in Iraq.In reality this war and occupationwas waged by then Bush administra-tion eight years ago this month tobolster the power and prestige of USimperialism in the aftermath ofevents of 11 September.

As it finds itself bogged down in adeeper quagmire the Obama admin-istration is seeking to escalate thewar in order to try and defeat aresurgent Taliban. He has appointedGeneral Stanley McChrystal to com-mand US forces in Afghanistan. Thismonth he recommended that 45,000extra troops be deployed bringing thetotal number of US forced inAfghanistan to over 100,000. This ison top of the 74,000 private militarycontractors based in the country. It isbelieved that McChrystal intends toincrease the number of US and NATOforces in Afghanistan to over 500,000in the coming years.

Thousands of Afghan civilians havebeen killed as a result of the intensi-

fication of the war this year. This isparticularly true given the increasein the blanket bombing of differentparts of the country.

Casualties are also mountingamongst NATO and US forces, Julyand August were the two highestmonths in terms of the number of sol-diers killed since the war began. Thisyear has seen a 108% rise in thenumber of roadside bombings. In theKandahar province attacks on NATOare at on all time high. An indicationof the weakness of imperialism is thefact that Canadian forces haveretreated to simply defendingKandahar City from Taliban forces.

Along with the horrific human costof the intensification of the war it isestimated that €100 billion will haveto be spent in order to deploy moretroops and equipment. This comes ata time of increasing economic hard-ship for millions of US workers. Withthe rising death toll and chaos theAfghan war is becoming increasinglyunpopular amongst the Americanpublic, in a recent poll over 54% saidthat they opposed it. A further 61%believe that the war is going badlyand only 25% support more US troopsbeing sent there. The Brown govern-ment in Britain is also coming undersignificant political pressure as aresult of mounting casualties. Recentopinion polls have shown that themajority of the British populationwants the immediate withdrawal oftroops.

The farce of the recent Presidentialelection illustrates the absence ofany real democracy in Afghanistanwith widespread vote rigging by the

supporters of President HamidKarzai. In the province of Kandahar,where Karzai is from, 350,000 voteswere recorded despite the fact thatonly 25,000 people actually voted. Hissupporters also set up 800 fakepolling stations and the boxes inanother 800 stations were stuffedwith fake ballot papers. It is estimat-ed that 27% of the votes were sus-pect. Not surprisingly Karzaiemerged as the "victor" and even lesssurprisingly was the glowingendorsement he received from therepresentatives of this colonial occu-pation in the aftermath of the elec-tion. The British Ambassador toAfghanistan described the result "asa bad day for the Taliban and a goodday for democracy". Similarly Obamacame out and gave his stamp ofapproval to this fraudulent "election".

From the outset of the occupationKarzai has been the handpickedfavourite of the US. Corruption andopium production have flourishedunder his reign and he and his sup-porters have little or no control orauthority over the majority of thecountry. He has been contemptuous-ly called "the Mayor of Kabul".Afghanistan now produces 90% of the

world's opium production; in factKarzai's brother is the biggest dealerof opium in the country. While he andhis supporters have lived a lavishlifestyle it has been a different storyfor the majority of the Afghan popula-tion. Fifty three percent of the popu-lation lives on less than €1 a day and77% lack access to clean drinkingwater. The war, occupation andpoverty in the country have onlyhelped strengthen the hand of theTaliban insurgency.

Little has also changed for womensince the toppling of the Talibanregime eight years ago. The literacyrate stands at less than 13% whilelife expectancy remains at 44 years.In fact the number of women who aredying in childbirth has risen since2001. The Karzai regime hasenshrined Sharia Law into the consti-tution and has even gone as far as totry and legalise marital rape.

The war in Afghanistan has recent-ly called "Obama's Vietnam". Like theVietnam War it is one that is spillingover into its neighbouring country, inthis case Pakistan bringing the death,destruction and horror with it. InApril the Pakistani government, atthe behest of US imperialism,

launched a military offensive againstTaliban forces based in the SwatValley in the North West FrontierProvince (NWFP).

Thirteen thousand civilians havebeen killed in this impoverishedregion as a result of the fighting while30,000 homes have been destroyed.Aid agencies such as the Red Crosshave compared the situation toBosnia and Rwanda. Two millionrefugees have been forced to fleetheir homes; this is the greatest dis-placement of people in this regionsince the bloody partition of theIndian sub continent in 1947.

Obama has seen the situation inAfghanistan and Pakistan as a priori-ty as his regime his fearful of the con-sequences of the Taliban coming topower in a country armed withnuclear weapons. HistoricallyPakistan has had enormous strategicimportance for US imperialism; thisis particularly with the growth ofrivalry with China in recent in years.

Like Afghanistan the Taliban hasdrawn its support and growth fromthe Pashtun population in the region.The war will undoubtedly add to thegrowing instability in the country andindeed may threaten its break-up as

differences between the various eth-nic groups.

This instability has been exacer-bated by the downturn in the globaleconomy with Pakistan being badlyhit by the downturn. Inflation standsat 25% while its national currencyhas lost 21% of its value. With anescalating war more its resourceswill undoubtedly be directed towardsits bloated military expenditure thataccounts for 25% of GDP.

Added to this is the complete lackof support of the regime of Asif AliSadari of the Pakistan People's Party.Like Karzai he is notoriously corruptand a puppet of the United States.While is wife Benazir Bhutto was inpower he amassed a personal fortuneof $1 billion by dipping into the staterevenues. This gave him the nick-name "Mr. ten percent" as he stole 10%of the income of government. Thescale of the corruption under his ownPresidency has led to him being called"Mr. fifty percent". It is highly unlikelythat a regime such as this will be ableto militarily defeat the Taliban in theNWFP given its lack of base of supportwithin Pakistani society.

The war and destruction that hasbeen visited on the people of

Afghanistan and Pakistan by theObama administration stands instark contrast to his promise to bringabout "change we can believe in" interms of US foreign policy. In realityhe has simply shifted resources fromthe war in Iraq to this war with dev-astating consequences. Like Iraq itappears highly unlikely that the USwill be able to defeat those that areresisting the occupation ofAfghanistan. With the US economydeteriorating further military set-backs for imperialism will add to thepressure on his Presidency.

The Socialist Party stands for theimmediate withdrawal of all occupy-ing forces. We believe that the com-ing to power of a reactionary Talibanregime in Afghanistan or Pakistanoffers no solution to the war andoccupation of the country. In the faceof this horror without end there is anurgent need for a socialist movementinternationally that will build solidar-ity with the poor and oppressed ofthis region, particularly with thePakistani working class with its mili-tant traditions. Such a movement canoffer an alternative to a world of cap-italist economic crisis, war andpoverty. �

featu

re

By Laura Fitzgerald

A RECENT report on the potential effects of cli-mate change on the country of Vietnam describesthe possible impact of sea levels rising by threefeet – the worst case projection was that one-third of the Mekong Delta could be submerged,where 17 million people live and nearly half ofVietnam’s rice is grown. This horror story gives just a glimpse of the dev-

astating impact that climate change will have onhumanity, unless this ticking time bomb is dealtwith. At September’s G20 Summit in PittsburghObama called for fossil fuel subsidies to be phasedout. Much has also been made in the media aboutPresident Hu Jintao of China’s remarks during hisaddress to the UN the same week in which he stat-ed that China "fully appreciates the importanceand urgency of addressing climate change". In therun up to talks in Copenhagen this December whichhas a stated aim of a new legally binding interna-tional agreement on climate change as the firstphase of the Kyoto Protocol comes to an end, howshould we perceive these statements, what are theprospects for an international agreement, and cru-cially, how can the future of humanity and thepreservation of the environment be secured?

The Kyoto fiasco

International discussions concerning the envi-ronment began back in 1992. The pinnacle of thesetalks, the Kyoto protocol, was ignored by by thebiggest polluter at the time, the US, under Bush. Infact, all attempts to deal with the crisis have comeup against the limits imposed by the market sys-tem in which the drive for profit reigns supremeand rhetoric of "international co-operation" ismeaningless as various nation states’ leadersserve the interests of their own country’s indus-tries and corporations. The absurd system of car-bon trading exemplifies this conundrum. Under car-bon trading a country or company that reducesCO2 emissions to below a set level can then sell oncredits to pollute, to those countries or companieswho exceed their own emission targets. The "right"to pollute is a legitimate commodity apparently. Under carbon-trading, instances can arise where

it’s more profitable for a company to buy morecredits, than achieve emission targets. It is also notconducive to developing anything resembling aserious or coordinated plan to reduce emissionsand fails to incentivise serious long-term invest-ment in renewable energy. Obama’s clean energyplan has been backed by important elements of USbig business. This is precisely because it’s based oncarbon trading and in fact provides ample newopportunities to make profits. The CleanDevelopment Mechanism (CDM) of emissions trad-ing is nothing but a continuation of imperialistdomination of the neo-colonial world, with a benign‘green’ veneer. CDM money is made available togiant multi-nationals by the World Bank to buildprojects such as dam-building in Africa. A profes-sor called Thayer Scudder studied 50 dams inAfrica and discovered that food insecurity affected79 % of those people who were displaced by thedams’ construction. Meanwhile, dams provide vitalirrigation and electricity for large-scale multina-tional operations, mining and commercial farming.Some multinationals have received credits forplanting a so-called 'carbon sink' in Africa - unfor-tunately for the local African farmers, the plantingof non-native eucalyptus trees had the effect ofsoaking up water, drying up arable land. Arguments that this is merely poor policing of

the system don't address the key issue that whenprofit is the primary consideration, it's inevitablethat such instances will occur. The very fact thatthe Irish government favoured exceeding Kyototargets and paying the resulting fines, (Ireland wasgiven permission to increase emissions by 13%under Kyoto, but emissions increased by 28%)illustrates that companies, or the governmentsthat represent them won't let concerns about cli-mate change interfere with profit, in this case, thedevelopment of a hugely profitable constructionboom and bubble. In Obama’s speech at the UN in September, he

stressed the need for a "flexible and pragmaticapproach" by world leaders in Copenhagen, and

warned them not to let "the perfect (to) becomethe enemy of progress". These wooly phrases arealmost anticipating the fact that we’ll see more ofthe same in terms of, at best, an inadequate agree-ment. Take the "Green" stimulus package as anexample of the Obama-era approach - it allocated$10 billion to public transport – sounds good?However this is less than a third as much money asit allocated to roads, and is in the context of savagecutbacks to public transport in states throughoutthe US.

No serious solution on offer

The enormous battle that Obama has found him-self embroiled in, merely by trying to carry outwhat’s really quite a limited reform of the UShealthcare system, is indicative of the reasons why,although the Bush era of reactionary climatechange denial has passed, there will not be an ade-quate response from the US. Just like the privatehealthcare lobby, the oil and fossil fuel industry isintegral to US capitalism. Any Copenhagen agree-ments will not fundamentally challenge this. Exelonis the latest of a spate of major corporations to pullout of the US Chamber of Commerce over its back-ward position on climate change. Does this repre-sent a change of heart on behalf of profit-hungrymultinationals? Surprisingly not – Exelon is thelargest operator of nuclear power plants in the USand therefore it’s climate change conscience is athin veneer covering its prime positioning to prof-it from further development of the terrifyingly dan-gerous nuclear industry in the name of environ-mental sustainability. Draft legislation, "Clean Jobsand American Power Act", in anticipation ofCopenhagen, is being rabidly opposed by the USChamber of Commerce. Even if it manages to passinto law, it "falls far short of the minimum emis-sions reductions scientists say are necessary"according to Rolf Skar of Greenpeace.Meanwhile, China’s ruling elite are fully commit-

ted to surging ahead with their energy-guzzlingand worker-exploiting pollution of the planet.Chinese imperialist adventures into Africa haveserved the purpose of gaining more fossil fuelresources. Obama’s own vague comments at theUN in September about the need to row back onfossil fuel subsidies was greeted with silence by theChinese President . Chinese dam-building projectsand other investment in renewable energy onlyserve the purpose of assisting the insatiable ener-gy needs of their manufacturing industry and itsprofits. An eclectic approach that continues tohave the burning of fossil fuels at its core willendure in the context of a vicious regime that hasrecently overtaken the US in terms of carbon emis-sions, intent on assisting its corporations’ profit-margins.

Socialist planning needed

The need for socialist planning of the economy isclear when we assess these bleak prospects. To putit simply, under a system that has to put the short-term drive for profit first and that has competitionbetween corporations and countries at its heart,what’s necessary in terms of dealing with theunprecedented crisis of climate change will neverbe carried out. The fact that the economic crisishas resulted in a slowing of production and there-fore emissions internationally, due to the shamefulwaste that is mass unemployment, is little consola-tion. The idea that in this recessionary dog-eat-dogperiod in history, that serious investment in renew-able energy will occur is preposterous. We urgentlyneed an economy under which its key aspects aredemocratically owned, controlled and managed byworking people. Socialist planning of the economyinternationally would mean an unprecedented pub-lic investment in research into renewable energy,as opposed to the best scientists competing onbehalf of different corporations to develop newways of making profits. It would mean a major planto put people back to work to develop such renew-able energy, public transport etc. The wealth andtechnology that exist in the world could be har-nessed under socialist planning internationally, inorder to provide for the needs of people and theenvironment, guarding the future of humanity inthe process.

OBAMA'SUNWINNABLE

WAR

G20 leaders no solutionsto climate crisis

Get active today tostop fees in 2010

EVERY FIRST year studentin the country has nowsigned a disclaimer sig-

nalling that they’re liable forfees in September 2010. The government’s intention is

clear – saddle students with upto €20,000 in debts fromSeptember next year. The gloves are off in the fight

to stop fees. To push this rottengovernment back, we need tobuild a mass movement thatlinks students, school students,education workers and workersgenerally to stop fees anddemand public investment ineducation. In order to build such a

movement, first year studentsin particular need to get active.With one year to fight fees, weurgently need to build stronganti-fees groups on campusesthroughout the country that canorganise such a movement. The FEE (Free Education for

Everyone) anti-fees campaign isalready actively recruiting newstudents in UCD, UCC, NUIM,NUIG, DIT and others. FEE hasalready begun anti-fees actionsand protests. Contact your local FEE

group to get involved – yourfuture is in your hands soget active to stop fees today!

By Conor Payne

IN EARLY September eightyoung people were arrestedin Antwerp, Belgium for

their involvement in a protestagainst a school’s introductionof a ban on the wearing of theMuslim veil. They includedmembers of the LSP, theBelgian section of the CWIwho were assisting the protest-ing students. Banning the veil will do noth-

ing to help Muslim women andhas nothing to do with promot-ing genuine secularism. Bansof this type are fundamentallyrepressive and anti-democraticand heighten ethnic and reli-gious polarisation. While some women wear the

veil voluntarily and as anexpression of identity, attemptsto force Muslim women to wearthe veil must also be opposed.Legal bans will serve only topush Muslim women towardsIslam and wearing the hijab inprotest. All this takes place in a con-

text where the far-right VlaamsBelang are scapegoating theMuslim community and immi-grants generally for the prob-lems of unemployment andlack of public services. This issue has already come

up in Ireland with Labour PartyTD Ruairi Quinn arguing thatthe wearing of the hijab inschools is not appropriate in acountry that is “Christian andsecular” - whatever thatmeans!It is likely in the context of

the economic crisis that moresuch divisive calls will bemade. Socialists must opposesuch authoritarian measuresand respond with our alterna-tive of a properly funded, pub-lic, secular education systemwhere freedom of expressionand a decent education for allare guaranteed.

(The CWI is the Committee for a Workers’ International to

which the Socialist Party is affiliated.)

By James McCabe, Dublin Socialist Youth

YOUNG PEOPLE mustfight the NAMA bailoutfor the bankers and prop-

erty developers. Why shouldwe take over toxic loans of thesuper rich? 89% of the loan book of

Anglo Irish Bank - the biggestparticipant in NAMA- is relatedto the property and construc-tion sectors. So the govern-ment’s argument that NAMA isnecessary so that the bankscan “get back” to lending tosmall businesses is a lie, pureand simple.The fact that we are now

being told we need to pay €54billion for these loans is mind-boggling when you considerthat the cervical cancer vacci-nation programme for youngwomen was shelved last year inorder to save a mere €10 mil-lion. Eighty women die everyyear from cervical cancer inIreland. Young people will bepaying for the gigantic NAMAbailout via countless billions’worth of cutbacks, not only inthe upcoming budget, but fortheir foreseeable future.

In a debate on TV3’s “Tonightwith Vincent Browne”, formerCEO of Bank of Ireland MikeSnoden, defended the NAMAproject and argued in favour ofcuts to child benefit, adding thedespicable remark that “societyshould not have to carry theburden of lone parents…… whochoose that lifestyle”. Youngpeople and generations to

come should not have to carrythe burden of the greed of thelikes of Snoden, Sean Quinnand co!Join with Socialist Youth in

building a campaign to resist ascheme which will create noth-ing for us but long-term unem-ployment and mass emigration,while protecting the interests ofa tiny but obscenely rich elite.

Robbing young people ofa future

By Cian McCleod

ACCORDING TO the gov-ernment, Ireland’s eco-nomic future lies in a

“smart-green economy” andthe key to this is constructinga “smart” future. But theCabinet’s actions have beencontrary to this. A catalogue ofsavage cuts in education hasbeen imposed upon Ireland’ssecond level students.These cuts have included the

slashing of second level teach-ing posts and the sickeningaxing of Special NeedsAssistants. At a recent ASTImeeting, 37% of schools repre-sented were forced to drop atleast one subject off their pro-gramme. The subjects worstaffected were those deemed

fundamental to developing a“smart economy”, such asphysics, chemistry, accounting,applied maths, etc.A staggering 10% of schools

have dropped the TransitionYear Programme, and essentialschool completion programmes. Across 28 OECD countries,

only the Slovak Republic investsless of a proportion of GDP ineducation than does Ireland.With €746 million worth of cutsin education recommended inthe Bord Snip Nua report, thesituation is only going to getworse.With our future at stake, a

campaign of mass action byschool students, such as therecent school student strikes inGermany that forced the gov-ernment back, is needed.

Gordon Brownattacks teenagemothers

BRITAIN’S ECONOMICcrisis 2009 – nearly onemillion under 25s unem-

ployed, bailouts for bankers,politicians’ expenses scandals– who should anger be direct-ed towards? Teenage mothersapparently! In a pathetic and despicable

attempt to shore up some sup-port as workers, young peopleand the unemployed rightlydirect their anger towards hisrotten New Labour govern-ment, British Prime MinisterGordon Brown during a majorpublic address launched anunprecedented attack onteenage mothers.“For it cannot be right for a

girl of 16 to get pregnant, (to)be given the keys to a councilflat and (to) be left on her own.”In the wake of an MPs

expenses scandal in which onegem of an MP actually claimedback money he put in a basketduring a church collection,young people know who thereal scroungers are!Frighteningly, Brown actually

argued that teenagers who getpregnant should be put inhomes. There couldn’t be abetter time for young people tounite and fight against this andall threats to their rights andfuture.

NAMA

A FANTASTICnight was held atthe Rock AgainstRacism gig atAuntie Annies on30 September inBelfast. Allproceeds went toYouth AgainstRacism.

Rock Against Racism

Education cuts exposesmart economy lie

CWImembersarrested foropposingveil ban

8THE SOCIALIST

October 2009

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By Stephen Rigney

DESPITE CLAIMS by themedia that Europe isshifting to the right,

the success of the Left Partyin Germany's recent generalelection is a clear sign thatwhere a left alternativeexists, outright swings to aright-wing alternative can beundermined. While the cur-rent right-wing governmentwill be replaced by anotherright-wing coalition in theform of the ChristianDemocrats (CDU/CSU) andFree Democratic Party (FDP),emerging industrial andworkplace battles make thisan unstable coalition fromthe beginning.

Overall, the election results area reflection of the growing angeramongst German workers againstthe Christian Democrat / SocialDemocrat (SPD) “grand coalition”government and a sign of theincreasing disillusionment withany of the establishment parties tooffer an alternative to the currentcrisis. Turnout dropped to 70.8%down from 77.7% in 2005 whichwas formerly the lowest turnout ina national election since the end ofthe Second World War.

The SPD suffered a significantdrop in its support, now holdingonly 23% of the vote, down fromover 34% after its re-election in2005. For the first time in 11 years,the SPD will be out of government,seeing its voting share more thanhalve, from over 20 million to 9.9million since 1998. This a signifi-cant development, considering thatthe SPD was formerly a massworkers' party but like many of itssister parties throughout Europe(like the Labour Party in Britain), ithas introduced some of the mostvicious neo-liberal attacks and cut-backs in Germany, as well as beingan ongoing supporter of the brutalwar in Afghanistan.

Its coalition partner, the CDU didnot suffer as much of a defeat but

this is largely due to the fact thatthe SPD has been in governmentfor a longer period of time andbecause it is a nominally a socialdemocratic party, it faced particu-lar anger from German workers.Still, the CDU's combined vote withtheir Bavarian ally, the CSU hasfallen by nearly 12% from16,631,000 to 14,655,000, though asa result of the fall in turnout, thatcollapse is not entirely reflected inthe seats lost by the CDU.

The hammering that the govern-ment parties have taken is a clearresponse by workers that they areopposed to any attempts to makethem pay for this crisis. While thegovernment pumps billions into thebanking system to bailout the spec-ulators who fuelled this economiccrash, unemployment sits at 7.5%and is on the rise though this does-n't reveal the true state of affairs.In a cynical attempt to save theirown skins, the governmentreached a rotten deal with theemployers’ groups to postponemass redundancies until the elec-tions were over. The comingmonths could see anexplosion in unemploy-ment and a correspon-ding response by themassive German workingclass. By postponing the

redundancies, the establishmenthave not alleviated any of the grow-ing tension but have in fact,allowed it to fester underneath thesurface. This will have huge con-sequences for the new coalitionand open up huge potential for theredevelopment of a socialist alter-native in society.

Despite the fact that the CDU’snew coalition partner, the FDPmade the most significantgains in the election, jumpingfrom 9.8% to 14.6%, theirsupport for free-market poli-cies will soon begin to gratewith working class people.By focusing on calls for cutsin income tax, they were ableto win over a section of CDU vot-ers who are obviouslybeginning to feelthe pinch in theirpockets as therecession takesits toll on jobsand pay levels.But as thec o a l i -tion is

forced into making vicious cuts inpublic services in order to balancethe books, the FDP, who are in com-plete support of neo-liberal poli-cies such as the dismemberment ofthe welfare state and privatisationof services such as healthcare andeducation, will quickly see theirgains undermined.

After only standing in itssecond national elec-tion, the Left Partyincreased itsshare of the voteby over onethird and nowstand at 11.9%.This is anextremely signifi-

cant development.The abil-

ity oft h eL e f t

Party to win over nearly 800,000former SPD supporters is an exam-ple that even a relatively new partycan win over layers of workers,despite its limited left programme.Nonetheless, over 1.5m SPD votersabstained this time and significantdebate within the ranks of the LeftParty is absolutely necessary todiscuss how the Party can advancea socialist programme that can winover further layers of working classpeople who are rejecting the right-wing policies of the establishmentparties.

Despite running a much morefocused campaign in this election,the Left Party is still somewhat tar-nished by its involvement inregional governments responsiblefor cutbacks and privatisations. Asthe fourth largest group in theGerman parliament and one of thelargest parties in some regions,there is a danger that the leader-ship of the party will attempt tocosy up to the now “oppositionist”SPD, either as an opposition groupor by entering coalitions in region-al governments.

In recent times, they've alreadyattempted to soften their positioncalling for the immediate with-drawal of troops from Aghanistaninstead calling for discussions withits occupation “partners” over aneventual withdrawal. This is nodifferent to the phraseology putforward by the SPD, or US imperi-alism for that matter! Genuineactivists must fight for the party tomaintain its programme anddemand that the Left Party doesnot enter into coalition with anyright-wing party and oppose anyattempt to introduce cutbacks.

By offering a clear, fighting pro-gramme, the Left Party has thepotential to win over layers ofworkers and young people to theideas of socialism and to offer

a clear alter-native to thechaos andbrutality ofcapitalism.

By Peter Kinsella

AN ASTOUNDING 25 mil-lion people are currently

unemployed in the UnitedStates. This news flies in theface of claims about recoveryand green shoots. In the lastfour months alone 1,270,000jobs were wiped out.

Official figures put unemploy-ment at 9.7% but this grosslyunderstates this situation becauseit does not include those workerswho have been looking for work buthave become so demoralized withthe prospects that they have givenup looking. In July alone 400,000people who had previously beenseeking employment gave up hopeand are therefore no longer includ-ed in official unemployment statis-tics.

The figure also ignores the nine

million workers who want andneed full time work but can onlyget part time jobs. If the figuresincluded part time workers andthose who have become discour-aged then the actual unemploy-

ment rate would be around 16%.Most shocking are the prospects

facing a generation of young peo-ple, 1.6 million teenagers agedbetween 16 and 19 who are lookingfor work cannot find it. This is the

highest figure recorded since theUS government began taking offi-cial records in 1948. Up to one halfof all graduates, who have pilled upmassive debts to get through col-lege, are now working in jobs thatdo not require a degree.

The whole story is not told byunemployment figures alone.Bosses are finding other ways tosqueeze more profits out of theirworkforce using the fear of unem-ployment to blackmail workers into accepting cuts in wages andbenefits as well as forcing them towork harder. In the 2nd quarter ofthis year productivity was up by6.4% while labour costs were downby 5.9%.

The recession has wreakedhavoc across the United Statesnow for over 20 months. In thattime nearly seven million jobs havebeen wiped out which, according to

the Economic Policy Institute,amounts to all the jobs that wereactually created during the boom.Not since the great depression hasthere been such a destruction ofjobs. More and more analysts,while still playing up talk of somerecovery, are admitting that anyupturn will be relatively jobless.

In 2008 tens of millions of work-ers, unemployed and young peoplevoted for change as they believedthe rhetoric of Obama. This prom-ise of change is proving to be amyth as its day passes.

While unemployment skyrocketsand two million people are thrownout of their homes this year alone,the bankers are going about busi-ness as usual. Goldman Sachshanded out bonuses totaling $1 bil-lion to 200 top executives. Nochange there.

USA - No change for the 25 million unemployed

Merkel re-elected as Left Party gains

The banner reads: No to the Surveillance state. For freedom and Socialism

10THE SOCIALIST

October 2009

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By Pat Lawlor

Water charges are setto be imposed onevery household in

2012. It is estimated thecharges will be in the regionof £369 a year - another hitwhich working class andmiddle class families cannotafford to take.

Throughout September, theAssembly politicians openly spokeof the need to impose watercharges. Finance Minister SammyWilson has repeatedly warned that“hard decisions need to be made”,such as the introduction of watercharges. Regional DevelopmentMinister Conor Murphy followedthis, saying he could not rule outthe introduction of water charges.

The arguments the politicianshave given for water charges havebeen cynical in the extreme. Theyare attempting to blackmail peopleby threatening that unless watercharges are introduced, they willbe forced to carry out cuts to pub-lic services such as closing schoolsand hospitals. This is economicnonsense. Water charging hasnothing to do with the financing ofschools and hospitals and otherpublic services. We already pay forwater through our rates, which aredue to rise in the coming years.The reason for the financial blackhole in the Executive’s budget ispoliticians’ incompetence. Thecuts are taking place with or with-out water charges.

The Executive has been forced todefer water charges until 2012.They hope that they can fudge thequestion of introducing watercharges in the upcoming generalelection and the Assembly and

local elections in 2011. Their inten-tion is to introduce water chargesafter these elections in the hopethat they will avoid being punishedin the ballot box. But people are notstupid. Most people can see thatthe Executive parties are preparingto introduce the tap tax. Even theUUP and SDLP, whose representa-tives have recently stated they areopposed to water charges, cannotescape the fact that they originallyagreed the introduction of watercharges in the first Assembly in2002. They cannot be trusted. Thatis why it is important that theground is prepared for people toresist water charges over the nexttwo years. The We Won’t PayCampaign needs to be built inevery town and city across theNorth between now and April 2012.

Socialist opposition neededThere is no party in the

Assembly which opposes watercharges. There is a major vacuumin political representation forworking class people. The SocialistParty has consistently opposedwater charges and has been theonly party to support and build theWe Won’t Pay Campaign. The tacticof mass non-payment of watercharges, which has won big sup-port, has forced water charges tobe deferred for seven years - sav-ing every household thousands ofpounds. This demonstrates thepotential of a united cross commu-nity working class alternative tothe right-wing sectarian partiescarrying out cuts and watercharges. A socialist oppositionwhich stands up for working classpeople must be built to challengethe sectarian parties in the upcom-ing elections and represent a gen-uine opposition to water charges.

NO to water chargesPrepare for non-payment in 2012

By Patrick Leathem-Flynn

THE BNP is operatingfrom a secret office inDundonald in Belfast.

Located at a business parkthis ‘call-centre’, as theydescribe it, is used to recruitpeople. They also use it to dis-tribute their far-right propa-ganda and spout their racistrhetoric around the UK.

The BNP has recently made anelectoral breakthrough by winningtwo seats in the recent Europeanelections in England. In recentyears it has relied on far-right pop-ulism and has tried to disguise itsfascist past. It would be a mistaketo confuse the protest vote the BNPis receiving (as a result of the lackof a genuine mass socialist alterna-tive) with a shift to support for fas-cism. But it would also be a mis-take not to recognise that the BNPhave been strengthened by theseelectoral victories.

A threat to workers

At the BNP’s ‘Red, White andBlue’ festival in Codnor, Derbyshireduring 14 – 16 August, they played1930’s Nazi marching songs andgave Nazi salutes. Their presence

dangerously legitimises far-rightlunatics like the Burnley 2 who metat BNP meetings and were convict-ed in 2007 of stockpiling bomb-making equipment to prepare for a‘race war’. One half of the Burnley2, Robert Cottage, stood threetimes as a BNP candidate.

The BNP sometimes claims to becampaigning for the interests ofthe working class. This is a lie.Last year, they proposed over £1million in job cuts in Kirklees coun-cil in Yorkshire. They also cam-paign for the introduction of ‘work-fare not welfare’ which means forc-ing the unemployed (who are nowincreasing at an alarming rate) intodead-end jobs in order to receivebenefits – in other words slavelabour! As if it is not difficultenough to survive on what scarcebenefits are available, the BNPwants the unemployed to feel likecriminals too.

In contrast to the BNP rhetoricagainst political corruption, six outof 12 of their councillors in Barkingturned up to less than half of themeetings they were supposed toattend and still they claimed over£60,000 between them.

Where the BNP grow, it alsoleads to an increase in racistattacks. They deliberately try to

whip up divisions between workingclass people. This only plays intothe hands of the bosses and gov-ernment. It is clear that the BNPshould be opposed at every turn.They are anti-working class anddespite their glossy ‘respectable’veneer they are closely linked toneo-nazi thugs and fascists. Thiscannot be ignored.

Unions must act

There is an onus on the tradeunion movement to campaigntogether with genuine communitygroups against the BNP usingBelfast as a hub to organise theirrecruitment and distribute theirracist propaganda. The BNP shouldbe kicked out of Northern Ireland.

The BNP must also be chal-lenged politically. Because there isno mass fighting political opposi-tion on offer in Westminster andthe Assembly, the BNP can grow ifthere is no alternative. It is notenough to simply say “Don’t voteBNP”. The trade unions shouldstop propping up New Labour andthe sectarian parties in theAssembly and support the forma-tion of a new socialist workingclass party which can unite peopleto stop cuts and job losses.

120,000 postal workersthroughout Britain andNorthern Ireland have

been balloted for strikeaction. Gabriel McCurry,Chair of theCommunication WorkersUnion (CWU) NICombined Branchspoke to GARYMULCAHY about theissues behind the bal-lot.

“We have been forced to ballotfor national strike action becauseRoyal Mail management havebreached an agreement reached in2007 on pay and modernisation byimposing changes in shifts, drivingup workloads, slashing jobs andrefusing to negotiate any changes.

“We have lost 40,000 jobs in thelast two years due to voluntaryredundancies and dismissals, butnot a single one of these 40,000jobs has been replaced. That’smeant postal workers have seen ahuge increase in workload.

“Management though say we arestill not working hard enough.They’ve imposed a pay freeze,despite the latest financial resultsshowing £321million annual profit.They’ve also told us we won’treceive any further benefits for fur-ther changes. The CWU rejects thisRoyal Mail managements vision of

a

future of an overworked, underpaidworkforce, with no say on whatgoes on and an industrial strategyof managed decline

“The CWU is calling for animmediate halt to the imposedchanges without agreement. Weare demanding real negotiationsleading to a new comprehensiveagreement covering all aspects ofmodernisation across our industry.

“We are fighting for a shorterworking week and an increase inour basic pay. Our members haveworked hard to create Royal Mailsprofits and should receive a fairshare of the company’s success.

“The CWU believes a positivefuture can be agreed with RoyalMail in relation to modernisationand a successful company, but thatcan only be achieved by negotiation,mutual respect and agreement.”

Kick the BNP out!Shut down BNP ‘call centre’

Postal workers vote forstrike action

11THE SOCIALIST

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By Eddie McCabe

STRIKING DOCKERS atMarine Terminals Ltd(MTL) will mark their

100th day on strike thismonth. The defiant dockershave been in a fierce disputewith this ruthless company,whose drive for profits ismatched only by its appetitefor union-busting, overattempts to introduce forcedredundancies and cuts in payand working conditions.

Deutsche Bank owns a 49%stake in the company. When BasilGeoghegan, MD of Deutsche BankLondon was a guest at the GlobalIrish Economic Forum inSeptember, he was stunned to begreeted by 50 chanting strikers andsupporters with placards as hearrived to be wined and dined bythe Tánaiste.

Dunnes Stores in StephensGreen, which receives scab-han-dled goods, was also targeted bythe strikers. The port workersintend to expose any company withlinks to MTL and highlight theirconnections with this anti-union

company. International solidarityhas been given from around theworld. Dockers from Belfast cameto a demonstration in support of thestrikers. Rotterdam port workersare working to rule and Australianand American dockers visited thepicket line to support the MTLstrikers. This tremendous supportneeds to be strengthened and usedto put real pressure on MTL.

This creativity and determina-tion in the face of vicious attacksby MTL, backed up by the statewith court injunctions againsteffective picketing, puts the mea-gre efforts of SIPTU and ICTU toshame. After the recent failure ofMTL to get an injunction againstthe strikers for calling the strikebreakers scabs, the union and con-gress should escalate the dispute.

By mass picketing in defiance ofinjunctions and withdrawing unionlabour they have the power to shutthe port down. All cargo that leavesthe port should be blackened andsolidarity action by other unionisedworkers at the port, particularlythe pilots would increase the pres-sure further. Only by hitting MTL’sprofits in this way can these spirit-ed strikers win.

Dublin’s defiantdockers battle on

MICHAEL O’BRIEN spoke toEric O’Neill, a steel fixer of20 years experience whohas suffered first-hand therace to the bottom inLimerick. The employerCoffey’s has been underpay-ing craft workers and letEric going when he raisedquestions and objections.

“They employed me and 14others on a job in Herbert’spub, Limerick which by myreckoning would have taken 12weeks to complete.

“On day two of me being onsite I was handed a contract ofemployment and as soon as Istarted reading it alarm bellsstarted ringing. I was being onpaper being downgraded to ageneral operative whereas thejob is skilled

“I spoke to other lads on siteand found out the same regimecovered most people.

“I approached my foremanJohn O Donohue and told him Iwas an experienced steel fixerand had run half the jobs intown. His answer was every-body started on €14.95 an hourand he would have a look into it.Carpenters nearby laughed andtold me they were getting thesame story for the past nineweeks.

“Not only were Coffey’s [theemployer] fiddling rates theywere also doing us for our over-time by paying flat time for allthe hours we worked andchanging the payslip to make itlook like they were paying timeand a half for overtime.

“On the second week of myemployment John O Donohuetold us that we were to be laidoff on Friday. He said Coffey’swere expecting a cheque for€10 million and all they got €3million so they were laying offall workers. I worked out therest of the week and on Fridayabout 11.30am I was handed aletter of cessation of employ-ment.

“I had big difficulties gettingthe payslips and a meeting withthe union was organised at onepoint.

“I drove down to the site tosee if the job was still at astandstill. I got out of the jeepand took a few photos with myphone because Coffey’s deniedthere was any slowdown withwork or any dispute overmoney or that men were beinglaid off except as for naturalwastage with the job coming toa close. Why then was there sixmen taken on the week I wasand eight the week before. JohnO Donohue pulled in behind meand asked what was I doing. Apicture tells a thousand words Ireplied and that he should beashamed with the goings onthat job, his reply was no oneforced ye in the gate, this tellsus a lot about Coffey’s and theirmanagement team.

“A National EmploymentRights (NERA) case based onevidence from me is now pend-ing.”

Limerickconstructionboss usesrecession toslash pay

By Fiona O’Loughlin

WORKERS FROM CocaCola HBC based at

Dublin, Cork, Tipperary andTuam are now on strikesince the 27 August. Theworkers who are repre-

sented by SIPTU aredefending 130 jobs in thedistribution section. Thecompany want to out-source their jobs at farinferior working condi-tions and a wage cut of up

to 70%. The strikers aredefending their jobs and

conditions won overmany years.

Coca Cola is themost recognisedbrand name in theworld, in Ireland itis the top sellingbrand in the

country. It ismaking mas-sive profitsin spite of

the world recession. The only rea-son for Coca Cola is making theseredundancies is corporate greed,in an effort to boost its profits evenmore at the expense of its work-force and their families.

On Wednesday August in a dis-graceful act by Coca Cola manage-ment, workers based in distribu-tion were sacked. Their P45’s andcheques for statutory redundan-cies where hand delivered by CocaCola to their homes. The majorityof these workers have more than30 years service to Coca Cola inIreland and one man has 42 yearsservice.

On 21 August the Labour Courtruled that there should be negotia-tions on the jobs based atBallycoolin in Dublin and that theredundancy deal that was in placepreviously should be adhered to.Coca Cola have refused to abide bythe Labour Court ruling.

SIPTU must move immediatelyto stop the distribution of CocaCola products. Trade unionistsshould be called on by their unions

not to handle Coca Cola products inshops, pubs and clubs. Workers atwholesalers such as Musgravesand in big supermarkets chainslike Tesco and Dunnes should begiven assurances by SIPTU, MAN-DATE and ICTU that if they blackCoca Cola products then they willreceive the full backing of the tradeunion movement to protect themfrom any attempts by their employ-ers to victimise them.

SIPTU has gone through all ofthe industrial relations proce-dures and still the company hasnot budged. Mass solidarity pick-ets of hundreds of trade unionistsshould be organised to stop thethree companies who are scab-bing on this strike: Keily’s distri-bution, Liam Carroll and BrianDaly Transport.

SIPTU and ICTU should put theirfull weight behind this battle whichshould include a major publicitycampaign with adverts in thenational press calling on workingclass people to boycott Coca Colaproducts.

By Oisín Kelly, IBOA member(personal capacity)

AFURTHER day of strikeaction in New

Ireland/Bank of Ireland Lifedue on 30 September wasdeferred pending clarifica-tions from the Labour Court.

The dispute centres on BoI’srefusal to pay agreed incentivebased pay. This has resulted in aneffective 12% pay cut for workers inNew Ireland and BoI Life. Themajority are low paid and earns

less than €30,000 per year. BoIhave paid workers in other parts ofthe BoI group but are determinednot to pay workers in NewIreland/BoI Life as a message toothers.

Bank of Ireland is to receive €16billion from the tax payers inreturn for the toxic debts theyracked up over the Celtic Tigeryears. After the NAMA announce-ment BoI shares rose a massive18%! The government has alreadyploughed €3.5 billion into this bankto capitalise it. They have not ruled

out putting even more of our moneyinto the banks in the next fewmonths.

Despite these generousbailouts, BoI and the other banksare determined to attack the payand conditions of their workers.Across the financial sector seniormanagers are looking towards apost-NAMA future. After getting thetax payers to take their toxic debts,they will now turn the axe to theirown staff. Workers face a potentialjobs massacre in mergers andacquisitions by vulture capitalists

that see a NAMA as a goldenopportunity to swoop. Already thisyear Ulster Bank announced 1,000lay-offs and a serious assault on itspension plan.

The New Ireland/BoI Life dis-pute is very important for all work-ers in finance. A victory will sendout a message that making low-paid workers pay for the economicdisaster the senior bankers creat-ed will not be tolerated. The unionsnow need to fight to defend all jobs,pay and pensions in the financesector.

NAMA for shareholders pay cuts for staff!

Boycott Coca Cola – kick out the scabs!

By Ann Katrin Orr

THERE ARE currently near-ly 450,000 people on thedole in Ireland. Young peo-

ple are among those mostexposed to this, the most brutaland harsh consequence of therecession. With 60% of all joblosses over the past two yearshaving hit under-25s, thousandsof young people across Irelandare experiencing the reality ofthe failing capitalist system asthey are forced to join ever-growing dole queues.Youth unemployment is now at a

staggering 19.5%, someeven say it is as highas 21%. This meansthat nearly everyfifth person under25 in Ireland isunable to get workand is facing long-term unemployment.One in threemales under 25 iscurrently unem-ployed – a shock-ing statisticwhich also

illustrates the effect of the collapse inthe construction industry.On top of that young people are bur-

dened with mortgages and other loanrepayments. These weigh heavy on theshoulders of many who were fed thelies about a “never-failing” propertysystem, which has since come crash-ing down around us. But while thebankers get NAMA and people likeRoddy Molloy, the chief executive ofFAS, get a €1 million golden hand-shake, we get even more job losses,dole and public spending cuts.Particularly hard-hit are those

young people facing long-term unem-ployment due to the collapse of theconstruction industry. Having leftschool early in many cases, they arenow saddled with mortgages and otherloan repayments, while having littleprospect of finding a job, as well as theprospect of further government cut-

backs and attacks onsocial welfare.

In addition the social issues related tounemployment have to be highlighted.Mental health problems, includingdepression, are commonly linked tounemployment. Drug usage is alreadyon the increase and increased crimeand violence rates linked to risingunemployment.In a disgraceful move in May, the

government slashed dole for theunder-20s by 50%, expecting youngpeople to survive on €100 a week.Clearly the political establishment

is now gearing up for another round ofattacks and the dole is a likely target.Young people shouldn’t let them get

away with this. The unem-ployed need to organise andfight these vicious attacks ontheir living standards.

One by one, safety nets

are being pulled from beneth us as thegovernment attacks social welfare andmoves to cut off third level educationfor thousands of students through there-introduction of fees. All of this, cou-pled with the rhetoric of employerslobbying for a cut to the minimumwage, is an indication of a broaderagenda to make young people work forpitiful wages.We cannot settle for the future that

the establishment is offering us. Theirproposal is for us to carry the burdenof bailing out the elite who caused thiscrisis, while sinking deeper intopoverty ourselves.The only option young people have

is to fight against these attacks and todemand decent jobs and decentwages.

n A guaranteed right to a job ortraining with decent wages and fullworkers’ rights.n For a minimum wage of €12 anhour tax free with no exemptions.n For a 35 hour week without lossof pay.n For a decent social welfarepayment, linked to averageearnings.n Free childcare for all.

n For democratic trade unions tofight in the interests of theirmembers on pay, conditions and jobsecurity. n Full time union officials should beregularly elected and receive theaverage wage of those theyrepresent.n Scrap the anti-union laws. An endto "social partnership".

n For a free public national healthservice. No to private health care.

n Free, quality education for allfrom primary to university, with aliving grant.

n For a massive public housebuilding programme, funded bycentral government to eliminate thehousing waiting lists.

n No to privatisation, public privatepartnerships and private financeinitiatives. n All publicly owned services andcompanies to be run underdemocratic working class control.

n An end to discrimination on thegrounds of race, religion, sex, sexualorientation, disability and to allforms of prejudice.n For the right to asylum and thescrapping of racist anti-asylum andimmigration laws. For the right towork, with full protection, forimmigrant workers.

n Scrap the bin charges - no todouble taxation in any form. Localauthorities to receive properfunding from central governmentfunds.

n For major investment into apublicly owned recycling service tocombat the waste crisis. No towaste incinerators.

n Oppose the big businessdominated European Union. No tothe militarisation of Europe and to aEuropean Army. n For solidarity of the Europeanworking class. For a socialist Europe.n No to imperialist wars. End theoccupation of Iraq. For a socialistIraq.

n Build a real peace process basedon uniting the working classcommunities, not on bringingdiscredited sectarian politicianstogether. n Joint trade union and communityaction to counter all forms ofsectarianism. n An end to all activity by allparamilitaries, loyalist andrepublican. Completedemilitarisation.

Capitalism is the cause of poverty,inequality, environmentaldestruction and war. We need aninternational struggle against thissystem and its effects. The workingclass can build a socialist world inwhich the resources of the planetare used to satisfy the needs of themass of the people not the thirst forprofit of a tiny minority of superrich.n Take all major industry, banks andfinancial institutions into publicownership and place them under thedemocratic control andmanagement of working classpeople. n For the working class todemocratically plan the economy toprovide for the needs of all, and toprotect our environment.n For the building of a mass politicalparty capable of uniting the workingclass in the struggle for socialism inIreland.n For a socialist Ireland as part of afree and voluntary socialistfederation of England and Wales,Scotland and Ireland.

WHAT WESTAND FORWorkers’ rights

Health

Housing

Equality

Local Taxation

International

Northern Ireland

Socialism

Reclaim the trade unions

Privatisation

Education

Waste management

PAPER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY ISSUE 48 OCTOBER 2009

One in five young

people on the dole

FIGHT FOR JOBS!

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The Socialist Party seeks to organise andrepresent working class people.CONTACT US for more information.The Socialist provides a unique socialistanalysis of political events. Why not takeout a subscription to make sure that youget the paper every month?

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I WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOCIALIST for one year at €20(please enclose a cheque/PO)

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RETURN TO: PO BOX 3434, DUBLIN 8