union post august 2011

SPECIAL EDITIONNION POST

AUGUST 2011

PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONSTHE

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REPORTSPICTURES

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CONGRESSBDC 2011

TROIKAWARNING

CONGRESS general secretary David Begghas warned Taoiseach Enda Kenny that theEU/ECB/IMF Troika is using Ireland as a “social laboratory” to test out its economicpolicies.

He made his comments in front of 800 delegates, observers and guests gathered forCongress’ three-day Biennial Delegate Con-ference last month.

Mr Begg was responding directly to theTaoiseach who had just delivered his speechto delegates at the INEC conference centrein Killarney on July 4.

He pinpointed the fact that “all the talk of reform” ignored the actions of the banksthat had sparked the crisis in the first place.

“It occurs to a lot of people that reformis for the little people – it is not for the powerful.” SEE REPORT PAGES 6/7

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REFORM AGENDA TARGETING ‘LITTLE PEOPLE’ NOTTHE BANKS, BEGG TELLS KENNY

2 THE UNION POST y August 2011

THE UNION POST is produced by Brazier Media for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions

Northern Ireland Committee Irish Congress of Trades Unions4-6 Donegall Street Place, Belfast BT1 2FN, Northern IrelandTel: 02890 247940 Fax: 02890 246898Email: [email protected] Web: www.ictuni.org

Irish Congress of Trade Unions31/32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Republic of IrelandTel: +353 1 8897777 Fax: +353 1 8872012Email: [email protected] www.ictu.ieUNION POST

THE

CONGRESS general secretaryDavid Begg has warned thattaking €4bn out of the econ-omy in the next budget willcompound the deflationary im-pact of the austerity measuresof the last three years.

He made his comments atthe McGill Summer School inGlenties, Co Donegal, on July26.

Mr Begg again reiterated that“austerity is not working” andwarned that the “well-telegraphed” public spendingcuts on the scale envisaged bythe government were self-de-feating.

He said: “This will compoundthe deflationary impact of the€20.6bn that has been cut inthree budgets since 2008.

“It is difficult to see how thiswill not seriously debilitatepublic services because this iscutting into muscle.

“To compound the problem,demographic change meansthat the demand on publicservices will expand ratherthan contract over the nextfew years.”

Mr Begg warned that “a lostgeneration” would be the pricepaid for sticking to such a pol-icy.

“It would be hard to say thatit is a price worth paying in anycircumstances but, as it hap-pens, austerity is not working.

“In the second quarter ofthis year, GNP was down 4.3%on the previous quarter.

“There is no growth in theeconomy and without growthto do some of the heavy liftingof adjustment, it is not possibleto generate the level of pri-mary surplus necessary toallow for debt repayment.”

While Mr Begg welcomedthe outcome of the recent EUsummit which, though beneficalfor the Republic, he claimed itremained an incomplete solu-tion to the debt crisis.

The proposals had, hepointed out, been prompted bythe looming crisis in Italyrather than the situation in Ire-land.

He said: “So let’s not foolourselves that the decision ofthe European Council wasabout us. It was about Italy andthe possibility that it might benext.

“With €1.9 trillion of sover-eign debt – three times asmuch as Ireland, Greece, andPortugal combined – it is of adifferent order of magnitude.”

Mr Begg argued that a com-mon eurobond should be in-troduced in order toEuropeanise the debt problemand that deeper fiscal and eco-nomic coordination across theeurozone was necessary forthe single currency to survive.

LO chief thanks Irishunions for sympathy

Brendan Broderick

Begg:Taking €4bn out ofeconomywill onlycompoundour misery

ASTI chief’s prioritiesASTI’s new president Brendan Broderick hasoutlined key priorities for the coming year –protecting education from further cuts andimproving the working lives of recently quali-fied teachers.

The Kilkenny-born science teacher, whotook over as president on August 1, said:“Teachers are well aware of the economic re-ality facing Ireland. But education is the solu-tion to this crisis, not the problem.

“We must have a plan of action for our ed-ucation service which involves protectingyoung people’s education and supportingteachers in their work.”

Letter of sympathy to the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation and the Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland

Message of Condolence from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions

On behalf of the members of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions we wish to express our profound sorrow at the atrocities perpetrated against thepeople of Norway.

The events of last Friday were devastating. It was in shock that we witnessed the Oslo bomb attack and then deep distress as we learned aboutthe continuing horror of the brutal massacres at the Utøya Camp. That themain target was a group of young people who want to make the world a better place is so distressing we cannot even begin to understand.

We extend our sincere condolences to the victims of the attacks: to theirloved ones, families, friends and colleagues. We are united in your sadness andstand in solidarity the citizens of Norway at this profoundly difficult time.

We hold in high regard your nation and the values of democracy, fairness,openness and respect for human rights, which are intrinsic to the NorwegianState and for which, justifiably, your country is a world leader. We share withyou an abhorrence of intolerance and extremism in all of its manifestations.

On behalf of all trade union members on the island of Ireland, please accept our sympathy at this very difficult time.

Yours sincerelyDavid BeggGeneral Secretary

NORWEGIAN Confederation of TradeUnions (LO) president Roar Flåthenhas written to Congress to thank Irishtrade unionists for their expressions ofsympathy and solidarity following theJuly 22 gun massacre at Utøya islandand the Oslo bombing.

He writes: “It is very important for usto know that you are with us in thesepainful times.

“It is difficult to grasp that Norway’slabour movement in a few hours lostso many of tomorrow’s leaders.

“July 22, 2011, will forever be remem-bered as the darkest day in the historyof the labour movement of Norway.”

Pointing out that many of the victimsof the attack on the summer camp be-longed to member unions of LO, headded that they were “the spine of

LO’s youthwork”.

Mr Flåthencontinues: “Thebomb attackon the govern-ment buildingsin Oslo and themassacre atUtøya showthe vulnerabil-ity of an opensociety like ours.

“But we will show how important anddeeply rooted this open democratic so-ciety is.

“Norway will become stronger andmore united as a results of the attack.

“Thank you very much for your soli-darity and sympathy.”

Flåthen: Darkest day

NORWAy ATTACKS

3August 2011 y THE UNION POST

UNITE has warned higher ed-ucation in Northern Irelandfaces a funding crisis thatcould heavily impact on em-ployment in the sector.

Mike Robinson, the union’snational officer for education,said: ”As a result, senior man-agement in universities are al-ready talking of massive jobcuts, with at least five per centof the 2,500-strong workforceat Queen’s University inBelfast under threat.

”At the University of Ulstersomething like £6m will be re-moved from the pay bill ele-ment of the budget over thenext four years. This will havea drastic impact on employ-ment levels at the university.”

Unite has claimed a budgetshortfall of £40m – caused bythe slashing of teaching grantsby 90% as well as cuts to re-search grants – will seriouslyhamper Northern Ireland uni-versities’ ability to competewith counterparts elsewherein the UK and abroad.

Mr Robinson added: ”Sub-stantial job losses are a realpossibility among the 13,000staff employed in higher edu-cation and further educationinstitutions.

”What is needed are addi-tional funds to support highereducation in Northern Ireland.This could be achieved by theallocation of additional fundsto the Assembly’s Departmentof Employment and Learningbudget, or reconfigure the de-partment's budget itself.”

PROPOSED reforms to wage set-ting mechanisms outlined lastmonth by Enterprise and Jobs Min-ister Richard Bruton have generateda mixed response from unions.

It is understood that, amongother proposals, the number of JLCswill be cut from 13 to six and willno longer be able to set Sunday pre-mium rates or other terms and con-ditions of employment alreadycovered by existing legislation.

Firms will also be able, under theBruton plan, to derogate from em-ployment regulation orders if theyexperience financial problems.

Mandate general secretary JohnDouglas hit out at the timing of theannouncement.

He said: “This means we will nowhave to wait until the autumn forlegislation to protect the lowestpaid.”

Mr Douglas warned: “The agree-ment to scrap the Sunday premiumpay for those covered by the JLCsand the inability to pay clause willleave thousands of low-paid work-ers vulnerable to having their paycut.”

Unite regional secretary JimmyKelly slammed what he dubbed Mr

Bruton’s “manifesto for change”and claimed it was seeking to dis-mantle structures built up to pro-tect the lowest paid.

Meanwhile, SIPTU vice presidentPatricia King urged members ofher union to campaign to ensureany reform of the JLC/ERO systemdelivers safeguards for workers.

Admitting the Bruton proposals,published on July 28, presented “amajor challenge” for trade unions,she pointed out it also “showedconsiderable progress” on the ini-tial plan put forward in the wake ofthe Duffy-Walsh report.

Ms King said: “The improvementssecured on the minister’s earlierproposals followed intensive lobbying by SIPTU and otherunions.

“These involved detailed engage-ment with colleagues in the LabourParty, in particular.

“It is essential that we achievefurther amendments to protectlow paid workers and, to that end,we must continue our public cam-paign and work with our col-leagues in the Labour Party inadvance of the proposed legislationbeing published in the autumn.”

SIPTU president Jack O’Connor hasclaimed the announcement of a€100 a year ‘temporary householdcharge’ is not progressive under cur-rent proposals.

While acknowledging that thegovernment was obliged to bring ina property tax under theEU/ECB/IMF memorandum of agree-ment, he pointed out there wassome leeway as to how the adminis-tration “interpreted and imple-

mented” the obligation. Mr O’Con-nor said: “A ‘household charge’ orproperty tax is a potentially progres-sive instrument.

“It could be a means by whichwealthier people in our societycould make a contribution reflectingtheir ability to pay.

“This could be achieved if thecharge is related to the size and location of the property.

“However, the measure as pro-

posed does not facilitate a propor-tionate contribution from thewealthy. In fact, it is quite a regres-sive interpretation of the obligationas enshrined in the memorandum ofagreement.”

He added: “As structured, it willplay into the hands of the wealthywho have always successfully op-posed the application of a progres-sive tax on property and on wealthin this country.”

UNISON has held a protestoutside Belfast City Hospitalfollowing the announcement ofplans to close its accident andemergency department.

More than a 100 members ofstaff joined with patients forthe July 28 demo.

Last month, Stormont healthminister Edwin Poots indic-tated that the unit, used bymore than 50,000 people ayear, was likely to close due to

a lack of consultant cover. It isunderstood the A&E unitcould shut its doors as early asOctober.

UNISON spokespersonTommy Steenson slammed theproposals and claimed the clo-sure would have a “a detri-mental effect on thecommunity in south and eastBelfast”.

He added: “Where are themany thousands of people who

use this service meant to go?This unit services an area withthe highest population of eld-erly citizens and families fromethnic minorities in Belfast.

“There is considerably con-fusion and anger in the localcommunity about this deci-sion, which appears on thesurface to have more to dowith politics than maintainingpublic access to emergencyhealthcare.”

Unite: NI unifund deficitwill hit jobs

Household charge ‘regressive’ in present form

UNISON protest over threatto Belfast City Hospital A&E

Mixed response to JLC/ERO plans

Picture: John Murray

O’Connor: Interpretation

THE UNION POST y August 20114

THE NUJ praised the solidarity of thou-sands of journalists across the BBC whotook part in a second 24-hour strikeagainst compulsory redundancies.

NUJ General Secretary MichelleStanistreet claimed the August 1 actionhad seen a “solid turnout” on picketlines at centres across the UK – includ-ing Broadcasting House in Belfast,above.

The strike had a particular impact onregional news programmes.

There was a severe disruption toBBC schedules, with the loss of radio

flagships PM and The World at One, and acurtailed Today programme. The strike –the second in three weeks – was calledby journalists at the broadcaster overmanagement plans to sack hundreds ofpeople in a compulsory redundancyprogramme.

Under the disputed plan, 387 postswould be lost across the BBC WorldService and BBC Monitoring depart-ments following cuts in governmentfunding.

Michelle Stanistreet said: “The NUJ isproud that our members everywhere in

the BBC have recognised this threat totheir colleagues, and the danger it posesto the quality journalism for which theBBC is rightly respected.

“BBC management seems to live in afantasy world where it believes it can ig-nore the rights of staff and pretend thata serious industrial dispute simply isn’thappening.

“The latest ludicrous managementploy is to claim that the strike wasn’thaving any effect. Clearly BBC manage-ment doesn’t watch the corporation’soutput very much."

Picture: Julia Paul

Beeb journos strike ‘solid’

A 17th CENTURY masterpiece wasvandalised at the National Galleryin London last monthweeks after theunion represent-ing securityguards at thebuilding warnedmanagement theydidn't haveenough staff.

Red aerosolpaint was sprayedacross NicolasPoussin's The Ado-ration of the Golden Calf on July 17.

In the weeks before the Poussin

incident, the PCS had repeatedlycomplained about cuts to security

staff at the gallery.General secretary

Mark Serwotka said:"Security guards in cul-tural institutions worklong hours for low pay –but they are providinga vital service.”

Calling on the man-agement to immedi-ately fill all securitypositions that had

been lost, he warned such cutswould only “cost money in the longterm”.

National Gallery staff cutcanned after art attack

Stanistreet: Praise

THREE of Ireland’s lead-ing trade unionists havebacked a campaign op-posing a US governmentbid to extradite veteranrepublican socialist SeanGarland.

TEEU general secretaryEamon Devoy, right,joined Unite regional sec-retary Jimmy Kelly andSIPTU general presidentJack O’Connor in issuinga joint statement on July 19 claiming any extradition ofthe 77-year-old diabetic, who suffers from bouts ofangina, would “amount to a death sentence”.

“Over the last five years the strain which this extradi-tion attempt has placed upon Sean has been immense.

“Any attempt to transport him from Ireland to be in-carcerated in the US would likely amount to a deathsentence, whatever the outcome of the legal proceed-ings against him.”

The statement also pointed out that Mr Garland hadplayed “crucial early role” in promoting the adoption ofpeaceful political struggle on the part of Irish republi-cans.

Union trio backs Garlandanti-extradition campaign

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CONGRESS BDC 2011

CONGRESS general secretaryDavid Begg told Taoiseach EndaKenny the response to the eco-nomic crisis had ignored financialsystems that caused the melt-down in the first place focusinginstead on slashing the incomesof low earners.

He made his comments as heresponded to the Taoiseach’sspeech to delegates on July 4, thefirst day of the conference.

Mr Begg pointed out that “allthe talk of reform” ignored theactivities of hedge funds and fi-nancial institutions.

“It occurs to a lot of peoplethat reform is for the little peo-ple – it is not for the powerful.”

Mr Begg claimed the socialmodel at the heart of what hetermed “the European project”was being "torn asunder" by thesame neoliberals whose appetitefor deregulation had led to thecurrent crisis.

He warned that the troika

wanted to turn Ireland into “aneconomic laboratory” to test itseconomic policies – policies thatwere not “evidence-based”.

Thus far, the official responseacross Europe had been to pe-nalise working people by tryingto cut wages and undermineprotections that had been builtup over many years.

“The fact of the matter is thatthe drive behind this seems to bepure ideology. There is no eco-nomic or fiscal reason for makingthese changes to people’s in-comes.”

Mr Begg said this focus wasbest illustrated in the contro-versy over proposed “reforms”to the Joint Labour Committees.

He deplored the fact thatthose pushing the “reformagenda” had utterly failed to putforward any evidence to supporttheir case and in fact, as theDuffy-Walsh report made clear,the weight of evidence was en-

tirely "on the other side".In place of evidence, oppor-

tunistic employers were substi-tuting anecdotes to supporttheir position. Mr Begg warnedthat it would be "very danger-ous" for government to proceedto make policy on the JLCsbased on what he called "anec-dotes and scare stories".

Mr Begg also highlighted a re-cent call by Michael Noonan, theRepublic’s Minister of Finance, onthe need for people to spend inorder to boost domestic de-mand.

He countered that the reasonpeople didn’t spend was becauseof “the loss of personal eco-nomic security” as well as thefact that there was “no suchthing as a safe job anymore”.

Mr Begg blamed the “ideologyof neoliberalism” for leaving peo-ple with no security over theirretirement or pensions or with-out the means to put their chil-

Austerity upon austerity

Delegate blastsEU/IMF/ECB asangels of doom

No low Corpo Tax forfirms exporting jobs

CONFERENCE heard the EU/IMF/ECBTroika described as “the capitalist an-gels of doom and despair”.

SIPTU delegate Gerry McCormickmade the comment as he moved Mo-tion 6 on Growth, Jobs and Hope.

He claimed the austerity programmeendorsed by the Troika underminedany chance of growth and was pushingthe Republic towards default “in cir-cumstances which could have been dif-ferent if private debt was separatedfrom national debt”.

Mr McCormick claimed the policy ap-peared designed “to appease creditorsand rating agencies” – yet the samerating agencies were continuing todowngrade Ireland.

He warned: “If we persist with thisfailed policy to pay crippling debt in themanner proposed, the consequences ofthe default will be uncertain outcomesfor stability – not just for this countrybut for the whole region.”

Deflationary policies had, he added,“collapsed” domestic demand andmade the situation worse.

“The EU and IMF cannot wash theirhands of culpability by suggesting theyare saving our economy.

“We all know that the reality is tosave the euro, no matter what the im-pact is on the Irish people.”

‘‘

The problem is not a strongpublic sector [in Northern Ireland], the problem is a weakprivate sector.

Liam Gallagher, Unitespeaking on Motion 25

COMPANIES that do not act inthe national interest should notbenefit from low CorporationTax, conference was told.

CWU deputy general secre-tary Terry Delany made thecomments as he spoke on Mo-tion 14.

He flagged up the union’s dis-pute with Vodafone Ireland overthe company’s plan to offshoreIrish-based jobs to Egypt and

India. Mr Delany told delegates:“They called us in three weeksago and told us it was their in-tention to offshore – or, as wewould call it, export – jobs ofour members based in Dublinand Dundalk to India and Egypt.

“Now, under what set of cir-cumstances should that com-pany be the beneficiary of a lowCorporation Tax?”

He added that the manage-

ment had also refused to giveguarantees to the union on afurther 500 jobs in Irish-basedcall centres.

“Ultimately, the outcome isthat the beneficiaries of lowCorporation Tax can increasetheir profits… and leave Ire-land.”

Mr Delany added: “This setof circumstances should be to-tally unacceptable.”

Enda Kenny spoke to CWU delegates as he left the conference venue. They raisedconcerns over Vodafone Ireland’s plans to outsource Irish jobs to India and Egypt

Killarney address: Enda Kenny


PICTURES: Kevin [email protected]

dren through university.“The aspiration of every one

of our generation that our kidswill do a little bit better than theprevious generation has gone,”he added.

On Northern Ireland, heasked the Taoiseach to use his in-fluence with the UK governmentto stop planned budget cuts, un-derlining the “fragility” of the“social ecosystem” north of theborder.

“You can’t cut back on thepublic sector and expect thingsto remain as they are.

“You can only really build upthe private sector eventually. Ithink it is so dangerous that thiscourse of action is being pur-sued.”

He concluded by telling theTaoiseach that the austerity pro-gramme was not working andthat some form of stimulus wasneeded in the economy.

Mr Begg said: “The concept of

the export-led recovery is notgoing to work because it will beswamped by the collapse of thedomestic side of the market.

“If we are to get to grips withthe problem, we need growth inthe economy.”

Growth, he insisted, needed todo some of “the heavy lifting”but growth would not happenunless there was some stimulusapplied to the domestic market.

“We have to start believingthat the economy is embeddedin society and not the other wayround,” he added.

“Austerity upon austerity isonly going to drive us deeperdown.”

Describing the debt sustain-ability of Ireland’s banking andsovereign debt as an “unspeak-able burden for us”, he warnedunless Europe “cuts us someslack”, the Republic faced a “so-cial catastrophe”.

will only drive us down, Taoiseach

THE Republic’s newgovernment has “em-braced” the basic poli-cies of the lastadministration, confer-ence was told.

Sam Nolan, speakingon Motion 11 on behalfof Dublin Council ofTrade Unions, claimedthe Fine Gael/Labourcoalition had acceptedthe IMF/EU/ECB posi-tion that the “rich andpowerful” be repaid the“principal and interest”on their “toxic loans”.

And he predicted thenext two budgets wouldbe “a mixture of thehair-shirt and thethumb-screw”.

Mr Nolan said politi-cians’ claims to “repre-sent all the people”were “very selective”.

For its part, the tradeunion movement shouldbe clear about what itrepresents.

“What we do repre-sent is 700,000 plustrade unionists on thisisland. We representthe workers of yester-day who are the unem-ployed of today and theemigrants of tomor-row.”

He called on tradeunions to “fight and re-sist” every austeritymeasure contained inthe next few budgets.

‘Mixture ofthe thumbscrew andhair-shirt’

David Begg warned Enda Kenny of need for growth in economy

NIPSA delegate Carmel Gates called on con-ference to oppose Motion 13 put forward bythe AHCPS underlining the importance ofmaintaining the 12.5% Corporation Tax ratein the Republic.

She told delegates that normally her uniondid not speak on motions dealing with aSouthern issue but it was felt that Motion 13had “a particular relevance” to the North.

Ms Gates pointed out the mover of Mo-tion 13 had spoken of the “competitive ad-vantage” provided by the low CorporationTax rate in the Republic but asked “competi-tive advantage over who?”

She said: “Is it the jobs that might other-wise come to Newry? Should we in theNorth call for a reduction in Corporation Taxto 12.5% so we could compete with jobs inthe South? Or should we set it at 11.5% in-stead?

“So who are we competing against? Be-cause what we are getting tied up in is the ar-

gument used by big business and what we areneglecting is the argument that we as work-ers use as internationalists.”

Ms Gates warned against any attempt to“fix capitalism”.

She told delegates: “Let’s be honest, capi-talism isn’t fixable by any solutions we putforward, because if they can’t fix their system,our suggestions on how to fix it aren’t goingto work either.”

Instead unions should support the redistri-bution of wealth and a fairer society.

Ms Gates said: “If we introduce a 12.5%Corporation Tax in the North, £300m willdisappear out of public services into thehands of the CBI, Institute of Directors, theChamber of Commerce. It will be a redistri-bution of wealth – but in the wrong direc-tion.”

She added: “They’re stealing the wealth, weneed to get it back for workers.”

Motion 13 was remitted.

Capitalism isn’t fixable

Gates: Corpo tax call

IMPACT deputy general secre-tary Kevin Callinan hasclaimed attempts to dismissthe value of social partnership“out of hand” were part of a“false redefinition” of thecauses of the crisis.

He made his commentswhile speaking on the econ-omy debates.

Mr Callinan told delegates:“We can and should be self-critical about past experienceof social partnership.

“Over time, we became toodeeply embedded with thesystem. By focussing too ex-clusively on pay deals, we

ended up endorsing govern-ment policies that we couldnot influence, even when theyjarred with our own positionon taxation, jobs and thewider economy.”

Despite this, he insisted asocial partnership frameworkremained “a necessary ingre-dient” to get out of the crisis.

“In such a new approach, allsides – government, unions,employers and the other socialactors – need to retain theirindependence. That implies amore focused, slimmer out-come, which should remain anobjective of Congress policy.”

Callinan: Social partnershipstill ‘a necessary ingredient’

Sam Nolan: ‘Fight and resist’



CONGRESS BDC 2011

THE CLAIM that pub-lic sector workers aresheltered from the ef-fects of the economiccrisis was slammed as“nonsense” and “bla-tantly untrue”.

CPSU deputy gen-eral secretary EoinRoynane told dele-gates that public sec-tor workers did notlive on “reservationsin the outskirts of ourtowns and cities” butwere “part of soci-ety”. Many of our

members’ partners,sons, daughters,brothers and sisterswork in the privatesector [and] they arevery much part of oursociety.”

He called for a “loudand clear” message tobe sent from confer-ence that “public andprivate sector workersare at one” and thatall were entitled to“fairness and equal-ity”. As a former jour-nalist, Mr Roynane

said he was tired ofmedia commentatorsattacking “what wehave achieved andwhat we seek to de-fend”.

He added: “Whatwould we be about astrade unionists if notto stand up for work-ers’ pay and condi-tions?”

Mr Roynane also ac-cused an alliance of“well-heeled, right-wing” media commen-tators and “economic

gurus” of orchestrat-ing “a relentlessblitzkreig” againstpublic sector workers.

But he added thatthere was little pointin complaining aboutthe unfairness of thiscoverage if unions didnot redouble their ef-forts in using “what-ever outlets areavailable – print,broadcasting or inter-net – to try and intro-duce balance into thedebate”.

Workers face media ‘blitzkreig’

Roynane: Balance needed

Kelly: Investment call

‘

‘I think that it’s important thatwe never forget that the pri-mary cause of the crisis we’rein stems from the recklesseconomic policies of the lastgovernment and also the greedof a capitalist class that alwaysseeks a quick route to easymoney.

CPSU general secretary Blair Horan on Motions 10 & 11

‘ ‘Right across the western worldgovernments have decidedworking people will pay for afinancial crisis they did notcreate. Governments have unleashed class war with thebiggest ever attack on welfareand public services. The fabricof our society built up overdecades is being destroyedbefore our very eyes.

Declan Roche, RMT

BEING right about what hashappened to the economyshould bring us no satisfac-tion, Unite Irish secretaryJimmy Kelly told conference.

Nearly one in five of theworkforce was now “effec-tively unemployed” whilethousands more were emi-grating each month.

Added to that, hundredsof thousands of other work-ers were subsisting on“poverty line wages” thatthe government was seekingto cut further.

Mr Kelly, moving Motion 9on economic policy, said allthat the trade union move-ment had predicted had hap-pened – falling demand,rising unemployment and a

widening deficit caused by acrash in tax revenues.

He suggested that the Re-public was heading into “astatistical recovery” whichwas in fact a “long-termhuman recession”.

Mr Kelly said the time hadcome to move beyond a cri-tique of the crisis and put inplace a “concrete alternativeprogramme” through mobil-ising union members and thegeneral public to force gov-ernment to change course.

This should involve a “sus-tained and substantial” in-vestment programme tocreate jobs and “moderniseour economic and socialbase”, an end to spendingand wage cuts and increased

taxes on higher-incomegroups.

While acknowledgingthere were no easy answers,he told delegates, “If westart from these principles,we can change the dead-endcourse we are on”.

Mr Kelly warned: “If wecontinue on the path of aus-terity and bailing out bankdebt, we will end up as semi-permanent wards of the EUand the IMF.”

An alternative programme– based on growth, invest-ment and employment –was the only way to returnto the markets in the shortterm.

He called on the tradeunion movement to build a

“solid platform for politicalchange and action” throughengaging and informing themillion plus “trade unionists,families and friends”.

The trade union move-ment should also work withother organisations “thatshare our values and princi-ples” in forging the broadestpossible platform forchange.

Noting that there hadbeen talk of a return to so-cial partnership, he added:“That is not the way. Part-nership weakened the tradeunion movement.

“It took us away from ourmembers’ hopes, fears andconcerns.”

Motion 9 was carried.

‘Social partnership weakened us’

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PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES

CONGRESS BDC 2011

INCOMING president Eugene McGlone has insisted the people ofIreland North and South deserve alabour movement that is “fit for pur-pose”.

Cautioning that the “only peoplewe can rely on are ourselves”, hecalled for a “back to basics” ap-proach to leading and defendingworkers and “demonstrating that weare in business” and that “it’s busi-ness as usual”.

In this address, Mr McGlone alsothanked outgoing president JackO’Connor for carrying out his du-ties with “energy, dignity and re-solve” over the past two years.

Mr McGlone called on delegatesto draw on their own “commonsense and experience of the pastyears” not to allow “greedy”bankers and “inept” economists wholed the country into bankruptcy to“dictate the way out of the crisis” atworkers’ expense.

This, he warned, would mean that“we will have failed… not only our-selves but our children and theirchildren”.

As “our enemies” were “demon-strating all the loyalty and economicacumen of a Judas Iscariot”, it wasnow perhaps time for the trade

union movement to “take a deepbreath” and “knowingly use the ‘S’word”. He continued: “It is time forus – the workers of this country –who are the people who create thewealth, to say we want take controlof our destinies for ourselves.

“For there is nothing short of aredistribution of wealth towards thehave-nots instead of the constantpandering to the obscenely wealthythat will solve our problems.Strongly-worded letters, well-mean-ing speeches and hand wringingwon’t do it...”

Reminding delegates of the back-ground to the crisis, he said that in-ternational banks had recklessly lentto Irish banks that had, in turn, reck-lessly lent to property speculators.

All this was “aided and abetted”by the Republic’s last government“pump-priming the property sectorthrough tax cuts and developer-ledland policies, while at the same timedegrading banking regulations”.

When the crisis hit, the govern-ment then pursued deflationary poli-cies targeting workers throughspending cuts and tax rises.

He told delegates: “Then ratherthan repair a broken banking system,accepting that the banks were broke,

they raided your savings and threwbillions neither they nor we had atthe sector.” Noting that the LabourParty now formed part of the coali-tion government in the Republic, MrMcGlone said: “We need to questionis the electorate’s confidence in re-turning the largest ever labour pres-ence to the Dail being best servedby a coalition with the most rightwing political force in the state?”

He warned that Labour wouldtake the blame for any attacks onworkers’ terms and conditions ofemployment while in government.

Turning to the political situationacross the border, Mr McGloneclaimed the time had come “to en-courage our members, friends andfamilies” to work for a “left of cen-tre party of labour for the North”.

He admitted this would be “noeasy task” and would require “greatcourage” to go against “tribaltrends”.

Welcoming the work of the Com-mission, he described it as an “en-

abling report” to equip the tradeunion movement “for the next gen-eration”.

On social partnership, Mr Mc-Glone queried whether the wholeexperience had been “merely a con-juror’s trick – all smoke and mir-rors”.

He said: “What have we achievedafter 22 years being best friends?Where is the right to combine andthe collectively bargain with employ-ers.”

Acknowledging that this was nowin the programme of government, headded that this would not preventunions from pursuing “the legalroute”.

In concluding his address, Mr Mc-Glone agreed that the next fewyears would be difficult “industrially,politically and organisationally” butreminded delegates that the tradeunion movement “had overcomeworse” and predicted it would“overcome the current trials”.

Nothing short ofa redistributionof wealth to thehave-nots will do

Presidential handshake: Eugene McGlone and Jack O’Connor



IN his last address as Congresspresident, Jack O’Connor told dele-gates that despite the global swingto the right, the neoliberal eco-nomic system that caused the finan-cial crisis was still “teetering on itspedestal”.

The “shock therapy” response tothe crisis adopted by governmentsinvolved returning to a model “dri-ven by the imperatives of unbridledgreed”.

This approach, he said, coincidedexactly with the interests of thewealthiest people in the worldadding, “The message has long sinceputrefied but the piper still calls thetune.”

He warned there was still thedanger of a default by one of thestressed eurozone nations thatcould potentially “sink the global fi-nancial system beyond trace”.

Mr O’Connor, who is also SIPTUgeneral president, said a MarshallAid-type strategy was needed but“those in charge had opted for theshock therapy of a reparationscourse” instead, ignoring “the les-sons of history”.

He told delegates: “They are ap-plying a supply side remedy to a de-mand side crisis aggravating theproblem rather than alleviating it.

“They have reduced the oncegreat institutions of the Europeanproject to mere debt collectionagencies for the major banks, ob-structing recovery and inflicting mis-ery on the citizens of Europe.”

European leaders had opted foran “internal deflationary dynamic”through the Merkel-Sarkozy inspiredEuro-Plus competitiveness pact.

“The undeclared objective is torid European capital of the obliga-tions of the post-War settlement.”

This strategy mirrored the agendabeing pursued in Wisconsin andother US states and – more brutally– in Colombia and Palestine.

Mr O’Connor warned “the wrongpeople” were now running the insti-tutions and pursuing a course thatwould “collapse the entire Europeanproject”.

“Increasingly, it appears to be afree market business club with keydecisions taken by unelectedbankers and the social dimensiononly a decorative coating to sugarthe poison pill.”

He added: “If that is the case, thelogic of history deems it should col-lapse and collapse it will.”

In the UK, he claimed the Tory-LibDem coalition was intent on finish-ing the job started by MargaretThatcher in the 1980s. A total of£4bn was to be taken out of theNorth’s economy entailing the loss

of one in eight jobs.And Mr O’Connor slammed the

actions of the Republic’s last govern-ment which even by “the standardsof their own capitalist creed” wasguilty of “gross mismanagement ofthe economy”.

The “largest austerity programmeever attempted by a developedcountry” had ended in failure, asCongress warned it would.

He told delegates: “Throughoutwe challenged the strategy, insistingthat it could not work and that itrisked condemning the country to aprolonged deflationary spiral. We ar-ticulated an alternative course… butour efforts were dismissed – evenridiculed – as the outlook thatcaused the crisis in the first placeprevailed.”

The Republic now found itself inthe “straitjacket of the ECB/EU/IMFdiktat” which Mr O’Connor called

“a growth obstructing cul-de-sac”.He characterised the current ap-

proach as “working people carryingthe can while others can carry on asthey please”.

“There is no moral justificationfor the proposition that we shouldhave to pay the recklessly accumu-lated debts of those at the top ofthe top of the banking systems.”

Mr O’Connor added that therewas “no possibility” that 1.8m tax-payers in the Republic could payback €200bn “in any reasonabletimeframe”.

Despite “the shackles” of theTroika agreement, he claimed therewere steps that could be taken toconstruct an all-island economy

“This entails simultaneously ad-dressing the bloated savings ratio,the investment deficit and the in-equitable distribution of the burdenof adjustment.”

Domestic demand had collapsedin the Republic because of fearsover loss of homes, pensions andjobs.

He warned: “The Minister for Fi-nance’s call to spend will ring hollowas long as people are paralysed byfear.” Mr O’Connor called for a“firm and absolute guarantee” thatmortgage holders’ homes would notbe repossessed “as long as theywere making a genuine effort toservice their mortgages”.

Equally, he called for the €4bn -€5bn in the National Pension Re-serve Fund to be used to drive a jobgenerating investment programme.

Added to this there was €78bn inpension fund assets. He said theMinister of Finance should engagewith fund trustees to develop ascheme to secure 5% of those as-sets to invest in the domestic econ-omy.

Such a move, Mr O’Connor tolddelegates, would offset the defla-tionary effects of the €3.6bn cutsscheduled for Budget 2012 as wellas creating more than 80,000 jobs.

It was also no longer possible, headded, to “afford the luxury” of sub-sidising the rich and they must con-tribute “in proportion to theircapacity to do so” in the national in-terest.

He suggested a national pact forrecovery in the Republic that couldact as a catalyst for the entire island.

Such an approach would mean“abandoning the shallow ‘quick buck’value system” that had served theinterests of the few over the many.

Mr O’Connor admitted that itwas unclear whether the Fine Gael-Labour government would embarkon such a course or settle for “theroad map to the Stone Age” laid outby the previous administration.

“The parties which, respectively,share the legacy of Connolly and ofCollins should aspire to more andthe people who elected them have aright to expect them to aspire tomore.”

He told conference the tradeunion movement in Ireland hadreached another ‘V’ in the road.

“We can choose to remain as weare, limiting our aspirations to nego-tiating modifications on the agendaof the other side.”

Mr O’Connor suggested thatwould be a “betrayal of the heroiclegacy of those who founded ourmovement” and of working peopletoday.

“We must assert our right to asay in the future – a future thatworks for all on this island in a Eu-rope that works for all its citizens.”

We must assertour right to havea say in shapingIreland’s future

‘

‘I come from one of the very, very deprived areas of Northern Ireland and I feel very angry that theFirst Minister and the Deputy First Ministercouldn’t be here this morning to hear what thepeople of Northern Ireland have to say… I say wetake to the streets of Ireland and we say ‘Enough isenough’ – north, south, east or west, we go, wefight, and we give people what they’re always talking about – a better future.

Ann Donnelly Derry Trades Council

‘

‘The challenges are great and the challenges aremany. Unfortunately the repeated predictions madeby our trade union leaders on the front line that violence will return if the working class did not see apeace dividend are coming true. If youth see no future, we note the tendency is to join someone’sarmy. Our job as trade unionists is to build the armyof the labour movement. To build confidence thatwe can resist exploitation, achieve real change andsecure real human rights.

Ann Speed, seconding Motion 25 on behalf of the Executive Council.


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CONGRESS BDC 2011

NIPSA general secretaryBrian Campfield has calledfor “clear blue water” to beput between what unionsstand for and the cutsagenda driven by adminis-trations on both sides of theIrish border.

He made his commentsas he moved Motion 7 at-tacking what he termed this“prevailing orthodoxy”.

Mr Campfield called ondelegates not to be drawninto the “relentless propa-ganda” that there is notenough money to pay fordecent public services.

“We need to be carefulthat we do not get suckedinto a position whereby webecome apologists for thosewho are intent on rollingback the social and eco-nomic advances secured byorganised labour and otherprogressive forces over thelast 50 to 60 years.”

He said there was no ra-tionale for the trade unionmovement to “give com-fort” to those forces intenton diluting or, indeed, de-stroying public services.

“The truth is we are notall in this together and weneed to ensure there isclear blue water betweenour agenda and that of gov-ernments and parties whichare implementing the severe

austerity measures in bothjurisdictions.”

Mr Campfield calledthose who believed the ex-isting social and economicsystem could be reshapedto stop working peoplebearing the brunt of reces-sions “either naïve or stu-pid”.

“The demands that thistrade union movementshould be promoting shouldgo to the heart of the neoliberal agenda and chal-lenge the supremacy thatcapital and profit exercisesover labour and ultimatelyover the democratic rightsof all citizens to be able toorganise and run economiesfor the common good.”

He said the motion de-mands of the state that ituses its resources to de-velop high quality jobs aswell as underlining the cen-tral issue of tax fairness and

redistribution of wealth.Delegates heard how the

sovereignty and democracyin the South had been “com-promised and undermined”while in the UK the “gov-ernment of millionaires” hadlost no time in steamrollingits plans to “redefine thepost Second World Warconsensus”.

Mr Campfield said thateven though the trade unionmovement was “batteredand bruised”, there was aneed to “rekindle our faithin our capacity to make adifference” and win the casefor an alternative “to thepresent mayhem”.

He added: “If the tradeunion movement cannotshow the way to the widercommunity then we are indifficulty, because the fact isthere is no other body –North or South – that cando this.”

‘Rekindle faith’ that wecan make a difference

Campfield: Leadership

IMPACT’s LouiseO’Donnell told delegatesthat unions needed tospeak with “a unitedvoice” and have “clear,credible and compre-hensible” policies thatresonated with workersand their families.

“And, to do that, weneed to look and soundmuch more like the peo-ple we represent andseek to represent.

“When it comes tospeaking for unions – inthe workplace, on publicplatforms, and in themedia – we must seemore young people,women and other ordi-nary workers articulat-ing union positions andpolicies in ways thatconnect with others likethem.”

We need aclear andcrediblemessage


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New ICTU president Eugene McGlone sharesa joke with INMO general secretary LiamDoran. Congress chiefs, right, keep up withthe news during conference


CONGRESS BDC 2011

IT’S time to take a leap “not intothe dark but into the future”, con-ference delegates were told duringthe presentation of a new reportinto the future of trade unions inIreland.

Philip Boyet, of UNI GlobalUnion, claimed the document – ACall to Action – set out why “stand-ing still” was no option for unionsin an era of globalisation.

He said: “There really has been acultural change going on in recentyears. For over a century we havebeen holding meetings, taking min-utes, making reports…

“Frankly, for a new generationthese are not the things that givepeople a buzz. These are not thethings that will attract a new gener-ation to trade unionism.

“If we sit and do nothing, then ofcourse all of those major forces aregradually going to erode the tradeunion movement in this countryand elsewhere.”

Cautioning against trade union-ists adopting a doom-laden attitude,he flagged up a number of positives,describing the number of unionmembers in Ireland – 800,000 – asa “fantastic base to start from”.

Unions North and South were a“cohesive force in society” and con-trasted the Irish position with thatin some other European countrieswhere union membership was“three, four or five per cent”, addingthat, “this was a very hard place tobe”.

Mr Boyet claimed the paper wasnot a blueprint or “a set of com-mandments from on high” but wastitled A Call to Action because it

was up to individual unions to de-cide what changes were going to beimplemented

He told delegates: “It’s you thathave to decide to get rid of some ofour old prejudices and take a leap –not in the dark – but a leap into thefuture to build up this trade unionmovement.”

Mr Boyet outlined various areasof action contained in the report.

He said there was a need forCongress to draw up a “visionstatement” setting out its hope fora society built around an alternativeto free market forces and based onsocial solidarity.

“In this day and age, we mustmake priorities, these are our stan-dards. Whatever politicians or polit-ical parties are doing, this is whattrade unions stand for.”

Mr Boyet said effective organisa-tion must be a “key part “ of any fu-ture strategy and it was necessary

to have a “strategicplan” to increasemembership den-sity.

The strategic ap-proach meantunions combiningresources.

He noted: “Af-filiates – with avery few exceptions – can-not see themselves on their own in-dividually having the resources forstrategic organising campaigns. Ittakes a lot of money, a lot of ex-pertise…

“What we’re saying is we need astrategic plan for the whole of thetrade union movement and we’reasking unions to come together toform a new strategic organisingcommittee.

“The idea is to sit down and de-cide and try and get something thatis a strategic plan.”

On the number of trade unions inIreland, Mr Boyet noted there was ageneral agreement that 49 were toomany.

“We have to have a look at waysof pooling unions together but it’snot something that can be decreedfrom above or by the Commission,it’s something that unions them-selves have to devise and decide onthemselves.”

Unions should be organised alongsectoral lines and claimed that sucha process might lead to “structural

changes” or to “federationsor mergers”.

Mr Boyet flagged upthe need for a “muchstronger, more fo-cussed” approach fromtrade unions with thesetting up of joint serv-ices and through thepooling of resources suchas communications andlegal services.

He also underlined theimportance of ensuring thatthe women and youth sec-tors of Congress were “inte-grated fully” into the work of

the Commission.Concluding, Mr Boyet told dele-

gates: “For us it’s important tostress the need for a sense of ur-gency – this is an opportunity tocreate a better and a bigger tradeunion movement

“You have that chance. It’s sadthat you have to wait to be attackedbefore you can fight your way outof the problem.

“We should seize this time tomake those advances.”

UNIONS must forge closer links andshare resources, Mandate general sec-retary John Douglas told conference.

In one of several responses to theCommission report, he said: “Unionscan’t work in splendid isolation – to dothis would be to manage our own de-mise.”

Rather, trade unions had to be “fitfor purpose” and “articulate a real al-ternative”.

Mr Douglas told delegates: “It’s notall about structures and rules of tradeunions. It’s not about words – it’sabout actions.

“It’s about trade unions working to-gether and sharing resources. It’sabout putting personal agendas andegos to one side.

“It’s about using scarce resources tobest effect. It’s about workers, publicand private, North and South, East and

West, uniting to fight back.”Unions needed to both show leader-

ship and to engage with members.Mr Douglas pointed out that Man-

date, with two organisers, had 45,000members in a retail sector in which200,000 people worked.

“The challenge for our union – aswith the trade union movement gener-ally – is to mobilise our 45,000 mem-bers into 45,000 organisers.”

He added: “To do this you need re-sources and a cultural change.”

NIPSA general secretary BrianCampfield told conference it was im-portant to be “clear and unambiguous”about what the trade union movementstood for.

“…that we’re in favour of workingpeople and working class communi-ties.”

It was also necessary, however, to

reach out to other sectors of society“particularly those suffering as a resultof this social and economic crisis”.

He warned delegates that “structuralchange” would not be enough on itsown to meet the challenges that layahead, but rather that “clarity” wasneeded about what trade unions stoodfor.

In his response, IMPACT general sec-retary Peter McLoone underlined theneed for unions to “simplify the mes-sage” in terms of “mission and vision”.

People needed to understand thatthe existence of trade unions was “in-dispensible to their working lives”.

“People have to sense in the work-place that if they did not have thetrade union movement, ‘I would not besecure and protected. I’d be more vul-nerable’.”

He added: “You can have all the

Getting rid of our old prejudicesand taking a leap into the future

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON TRADE UNIONS

Unions must articulate ‘real alternative’

UNI Global Union’s Philip Boyet delivered report



strategic statements that you want –unless you change that culture thatinstinctively resists change, youwon’t make the changes you needto.”

CWU general secretary Steve Fitz-patrick reminded delegates that “wehave more unions than counties!”

He said: “Like it our not, thoughpeople talk about a trade unionmovement, we don’t really organiseourselves as a movement. It’s quitedisjointed.”

Welcoming the report’s “brevity”,he added it would provide a “roadmap over co-operation”.

Mr Fitzpatrick also pointed out theCWU had been forged from fourunions and that the “mergers andamalgamations and the clashing ofcultures” had “made it stronger”.

Incoming Congress president Eu-gene McGlone, of Unite, noted thatthe difference in the Commission’sdocument from anything that hadgone before was that it had put“strategy before structure”.

He added: “Previously we at-tempted to batter our strategy intothe structures that were already inplace.”

Mr McGlone told delegates the re-port gave them “the one opportu-nity… to shape the trade unionmovement for the next generationand the generation after that.”

PRESIDENTEugene McGlone (Unite)

VICE PRESIDENTSJohn Douglas (Mandate)Patricia King (SIPTU)

ORDINARY PANELLarry Broderick (IBOA)Kevin Callinan (Impact)Brian Campfield (NIPSA)Shay Cody (Impact)Eamon Coy (GMB)Walter Cullen (Unite)Eamon Devoy (TEEU)Pamela Dooley (Unison)Seamus Dooley (NUJ)Liam Doran (INMO)Steve Fitzpatrick (CWU)Tom Geraghty (PSEU)Arthur Hall (TEEU)Avril Hall-Callaghan (UTU)Lawrence Huston (CWU, UK)Mike Jennings (IFUT)Jimmy Kelly (Unite)Pat King (ASTI)Peter MacMenamin (TUI)Patricia McKeown (Unison)Jim Moore (UCATT)Maria Morgan (NIPSA)Phil Ní Sheaghdha (INMO)Sheila Nunan (INTO)Jack O'Connor (SIPTU)Louise O'Donnell (Impact)Eoin Roynane (CPSU)Marie Sherlock (SIPTU)Dave Thomas (AHCPS)Noel Ward (INTO)

LOCAL PANELEric Fleming (Dublin Council of Trade Unions)

ICTU’S NEW EXECUTIVECOUNCIL

Delegates to the 2011 BiennialDelegate Conference have electeda new Executive Council. The new34 member Executive will serveuntil 2013. The full list is below,along with details of member'saffiliate unions.

EUROPEAN Trade Union Confedera-tion general secretary BernadetteSégol delivered a “warm message” of“solidarity and friendship” from work-ers in the rest of Europe to delegatesat the conference.

Acknowledging that these were“harsh times” for Irish workers, sheemphasised that the ETUC stood with“Irish workers, Irish people and theIrish Congress of Trade Unions”.

Ms Ségol slammed the “incrediblytough austerity measures” being in-flicted on workers in the Republic be-cause of the rescue package andinsisted any resulting depression anddeflation would not provide the growthstrategy needed to “to revive the econ-omy and employment”.

She said austerity “will not get usthrough [the crisis]” but called for amore “sustainable” and “long-term”solution based on “solidarity”.

“Now solidarity is a very dear wordto us trade unionists. We are asking forsolidarity, to give a concrete meaningto that word...”

Such a solidarity package would in-clude eurobonds provision “whichwould pool part of the debt and givecountries [such as Ireland, Portugal andGreece] access to credit at a reasonablerate”.

Ms Ségol also called for Europe-wideaction on unemployment and a finan-cial transaction tax.

She told delegates: “Friends, this isnot pie in the sky. This is not wishfulthinking. Don’t listen to those who saythis is not possible.

“Of course it is possible. It is a ques-tion of political will and leadership, andwe haven’t seen much of either aroundthe table in Brussels recently...”

However, she warned against an Irishdefault, pointing out the Republic’s sit-uation differed markedly from Ar-gentina and Iceland, two nations thathad taken the default option.

Ms Ségol added that Europe nowfound itself “in the midst of a risky andhistoric period”, but that whatever thetemptation, a return to “narrow na-tionalism” was not the way forward.

‘These are harshtimes... but thekey is solidarity’

John Douglas: Action not words Bernadette Ségol: Message of support

Peter McLoone: Make the argument


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PADDY Mackel, moving Mo-tion 8, called on delegatesto reject “austerity meas-ures” which he said was justa “fancy term” for an attackon workers, on their termsand conditions and on pub-lic services.

He told delegates thateveryone in the hall wasbeing forced to pay for the“capitalist correction” sothat business and global cor-porations could return to“unrelenting profit margins”while workers were “putback in the box where theybelong” to work longer forless and at the same time aspublic services were “in-creasingly delivered by insa-tiable profiteers”.

Mr Mackel, speaking onbehalf of Belfast and DistrictTrades Council, said

Taoiseach Enda Kenny andthis party did not offerworkers in the Republic “away out of this mess” andblasted as “a disgrace” IrishLabour leader EamonGilmore’s announcementthat further cuts to publicservices were likely.

Equally, he pointed outthat the UK’s “cabinet of

millionaires” would “increas-ingly only protect and pro-mote its own”.

A total of £123bn waslost each year in unpaid tax,tax evasion and avoidance.

He pointed out that 3% ofthis figure – Northern Ire-land’s share under the Bar-nett formula – wouldamount to £3.5bn “almost

equal to what is being cutfrom the Assembly’sbudget”.

He warned delegates thatwelfare cuts of £1bn in theNorth would hit “thosewithout a voice… the mostvulnerable in society”.

Mr Mackel said: “Thetrade union movement isthe only movement with the

ability and the capacity tolead the struggle against thisonslaught on workers andtheir families.”

Unions needed to de-velop “an effective, alterna-tive economic strategy” thatwas “coherent and intelli-gent” to provide a “realvoice” for “a decent societythat puts people first ratherthan profits”.

“There is nobody left tolead this struggle. We shouldlearn from Portugal, Spainand Greece in particular. Weshould not be afraid to callprotests, and organisestrikes.

“Withdrawing our labourwill be our voice – a strongvoice loud and proud,demonstrating that workershave had enough.”

Paying for capitalist correction

Paddy Mackel: Trade union movement only movement able to lead struggle

UNISON regional secretary Patri-cia McKeown has called on the “layleadership and the membership”of trade unions to “go on the of-fensive” and demonstrate it is “aforce for social change”.

She also called for added pres-sure to be put on politicians as“their programme” was “failing”in both jurisdictions.

“We have a real alternative butwe must do this collectively and Iwould like to think that combinedindustrial action in the North canbe mirrored across Ireland.”

‘Time to go onthe offensive’

CONGRESS BDC 2011

PSEU general secretary TomGeraghty moved Motion 21 onthe Croke Park agreement.

He acknowledged that thosetrade unionists who had op-posed the deal had put forward“cogent arguments” but that inthe end it had come down to achoice “not between good andbad” but between “degrees ofstability and agonising uncer-tainty”.

Mr Geraghty also noted the“almost hysterical level of hostil-

ity” against the deal articulatedby sections of the commentariatand pointed out that Croke Parkhad “survived the arrival of theIMF, the change of governmentand its first review”.

And he described the mainte-nance of the agreement as an“unalloyed success... as far as thepublic sector is concerned”.

Mr Geraghty said: “I would saythat all of the evidence is that ithas been a considerable successfor the country in circumstances

with few good news stories.”Gene Mealy, SIPTU, speaking in

support of the motion, said thatwhile the agreement had been“good for our members”, therewas no chance of a “Croke ParkMk 11”.

He told delegates: “I wouldcaution that if they come backfor more, it’s not there. We havegiven enough.

“We will deliver on our com-mitments, but no more.”

Croke deal defended


THE REPUBLIC of Ireland isthe most reactionary state inthe developed world when itcomes to trade union recog-nition, IMPACT general sec-retary Shay Cody toldconference.

Visitors to the Republicwere, he noted when movingMotion 17, “amazed” at theabsence of collective bargain-ing rights.

Mr Cody flagged up in par-ticular Supreme Court rulingsthat the constitutional rightto association also implieddisassociation, effectively giv-

ing employers the right to re-fuse to engage with tradeunion representatives.

And he slammed as “non-sense” those who argued thatunion recognition would actas a barrier to foreign directinvestment.

“Many FDI companies suchas HP, IBM, IKEA and Radis-son deal with unions else-where in Europe and aroundthe world.

“Their approach is simple.If they must, they will. If it’snot mandatory, they won’t.”

Mr Cody claimed the Re-

public was also in breach ofits obligations under ILO con-ventions.

“IMPACT along with Con-gress has lodged a complaintwith the ILO which we hopewill be heard later this year.An ILO convention is an in-ternational treaty binding thestate.

“We are also aware of theEU Charter of FundamentalRights which provides for theright – not the option – tonegotiate and conclude col-lective agreements.”

He pointed to recent Euro-

pean Court of Human Rightsrulings that accepted the rightto join trade unions includesthe right to bargain collec-tively and the right to strike.

Mr Cody noted that theprogramme for governmentcontained a commitment toreform the current legislationto ensure compliance by thestate with the judgments ofthe court.

He told delegates: “This re-quires compliance with thecollective bargaining ruling aswell as the anti-victimisationone.”

Republic ‘reactionary’ on union rightsBunting: Unions have allies in austerity fight ‘

‘

Class interest has been redefinedas the national interest… Overthe next five years, 25% of gov-ernment borrowing will be usedto pay down the debt.

Tom Hogan,Waterford Council ofTrade Unions speaking on Motion 12

CONGRESS assistant general secretary Peter Buntinglashed political parties in Northern Ireland over theirstance on cutting Corporation Tax.

He warned delegates any cut in the levy would not“guarantee” a single job but would instead lead to “bigincreases in profits for large businesses”.

Mr Bunting claimed the policy – backed by all majorpolitical parties north of the border – amounted to a“transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest”.

He contrasted Northern Ireland’s politicians’ loudsupport for tax cuts with the lack of sustained backingfor a Bill of Rights.

“What happened to the Bill of Rights? Why was itstymied and stopped? In whose interest was it for us tonot have a Bill of Rights?

“Where was the Bill of Rights in the recent electionto the Northern Ireland Assembly? Or the GeneralElection last year? Why are those parties which saidthat they backed a Bill of Rights so silent now?”

Mr Bunting reminded delegates the trade unionmovement did not stand alone in its fight against cutsand austerity.

He said: “We have allies in this fight, new groups ofcitizens who did not feature in previous trade unionprotests and campaigns, using methods and technolo-gies which are novel and can be as perplexing to theirallies as much as their enemies – but I am glad that theyare on our side.

“We are gaining allies because the analysis we havebrought to the debate has been proved right again andagain. We have long warned that the economic policiesof successive governments were leading to greater in-equalities of wealth and income, and it is clear that suchdisparities are at record highs.”

Mr Bunting claimed “the historic values of the inter-national trade union movement” reflected the views ofmany people in Northern Ireland and that the best al-ternative to inequality and division, based on wealth orreligion or nationality, was the simplest:

“One society based on equality, diversity and soli-darity – where every citizen contributes more thanmoney and taxes and receives more back than themere necessities of existence as defined by the gurusof consumerism. One society where work is valued,where service is a virtue and where democracy is in-clusive and a work-in-progress.”

Corpo Tax changewould be ‘wealthtransfer’ to richest

Lift the lid on ‘barriers to equality’UNISON regional secretary Pa-tricia McKeown told conferencethat the “one key statistic” sur-rounding the debate on Motion26 was that “the majority ofpeople facing discrimination, in-equality and oppression on thisisland are women”.

Noting that women now con-stituted 51% of the Irish tradeunion movement, she added: “Ifwe work very hard, that figurewill grow because a very largenumber of unorganised workers– workers we have yet to bringinto the ranks of our movement– are women.”

Ms McKeown called for the lidto be lifted off “the barriers toequality” and described the traf-ficking of young women and girlsinto Ireland for the sex trade asa “cesspit”.

She added: “It’s like a lunchmenu and you will find there is apart of the population of this is-land with sufficient money andlack of morals and integrity todine well on that menu.

“We as the trade union move-ment have a voice that shouldspeak out against that exploita-tion.”

Ms McKeown warned thatequality and human rights wasnot an issue to be parked untilthe economic crisis was over.

She told delegates: “It issomething that should havebeen attended to when timeswere better and there wasmoney to build a genuine andequal and fair social infrastruc-ture.

“That did not happen and itwill not happen unless we cometogether with the oppressed andmake it happen.

“So I’m not prepared to heargovernments North or Southuse the economic crisis as an ex-cuse for the fact that this is stilla deeply divided and discrimina-tory society in both jurisdic-tions.”


DESIGN

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FOR the first time in a quarter of acentury, the International LabourOrganisation's Committee on Free-dom of Association is reviewing acomplaint against Ireland.

The Irish Congress of TradeUnions lodged this complaint withthe international labour movement'sfull support.

We welcome the new Irish gov-ernment's pledge to "reform thecurrent law on employees' right toengage in collective bargaining, so asto ensure compliance by the Statewith recent judgments of the Euro-pean Court of Human Rights," ascontained in the Programme forGovernment.

Changes are indeed necessary notonly to respect international norms,but also to bolster Ireland's tenuouseconomic recovery through a bet-ter distribution of income.

Ireland is facing a complaint at theILO because its laws do not prop-erly protect workers' rights. In par-ticular, employers establish andcontrol "Employee RepresentativeCouncils" as a means to avoid

recognising the legitimate tradeunions that employees have joined.

Such anti-union practices violatethe ILO's convention on the Rightto Organise and Collective Bargain-ing, which Ireland ratified in 1955.

Similarly, the European Court ofHuman Rights has ruled that it is il-legal to offer employees financial in-centives to surrender trade unionrights.

It has also ruled that workershave a right to be represented bytheir trade union in employmentmatters and that collective bargain-ing – workers negotiating collec-

tively with their employer – is a fun-damental human right.

It is scurrilous but not surprisingthat some employers try to gainmore control over employees andpay them less by limiting union rep-resentation, regardless of interna-tional standards.

The real issue is that Ireland's do-mestic laws fail to prevent employ-ers from penalising workers whoengage in collective bargaining, es-tablishing phony "employee associa-tions," or refusing to recognise atrade union that employees havejoined.

Ireland's economic vulnerabilitybefore the financial crisis was largelybased on private-sector borrowing,speculative construction, inadequatefinancial regulation, and ultra-lowcorporate taxes.

A durable economic recovery willrequire consumer demand funded byemployment income rather thanborrowing and speculation.

Attempts to undermine wages andwage-setting mechanisms would un-dermine consumer spending and theprospects for a recovery.

By contrast, improving Ireland'slabour legislation to better protectfundamental labour rights wouldhelp workers to negotiate wage in-creases as productivity rises.

A sustainable economy dependson workers being able to purchasethe output that they produce. Ex-tending collective bargaining to moreworkplaces would help to drive eco-nomic growth.

Recent experience supports theview that trade unions improve eco-nomic performance.

Countries with deregulated labourmarkets and legal obstacles to unionorganising, such as the United Statesand Ireland, have suffered the largestincreases in unemployment.

By contrast, countries with higherlevels of unionisation and social se-curity have generally fared betterduring the economic crisis.

For example, Germany's stronglabour-market institutions allowedunions and employers to negotiatetemporary reductions in workingtime instead of job losses.

As a result, its unemployment ratebarely rose during the crisis and ithas been strongly positioned to in-crease output during the recovery.

Ireland should reform its labourlaws to better protect employeesfrom anti-union discrimination, stopemployer interference in workers'organisations, and promote collec-tive bargaining. These improvementsare needed to meet internationalstandards that Ireland has signedonto. They would both benefit Irishworkers and strengthen the Irisheconomy.

CONFERENCE VIEWPOINT

SHARAN BURROW, general secretary ofthe International Trade Union Confederationand a guest speaker at this year’s BDC in Killarney, argues that union rights must bestrengthened in the Republic to bring its lawsinto line with international norms as well asgiving the economy a much-needed jumpstart

Strengtheningworkers’ rightswill boost theIrish economy

CONGRESS BDC 2011

ITUC chief Sharan Burrow, centre, chaired a round-table discussion ‘Which Way for Europe’ at Killarney conference


LARRY Broderick has called fora Croke Park-style agreementfor workers in the banking sec-tor.

The IBOA general secretarymade the comments as hemoved Motion 24.

Mr Broderick warned the gov-ernment had identified a “twopillar” approach to the financialindustry that would have the“net effect” of “eliminating”6,000 jobs over the next fewyears.

He told delegates: “I use theword ‘eliminated’ cautiously toreflect the arrogance of manag-ment in this industry and alsothe arrogance of the new gov-ernment that has forgotten thereality that banking is about peo-ple and about communities.”

Mr Broderick insisted thetrade union movement had toplay a role in rebuilding the in-dustry and agreed that “radicalchange” was needed.

He said: “If jobs are to be re-duced I can say to conferencetoday there will be no co-opera-tion about changing our industryunless we too get a Croke Parkagreement in our industry.

“We want a commitment ofno compulsory redundancy, wewant a commitment that, in acontext of change, we will influ-ence the future of our industryin a fair and reasonable fashion.”

Mr Broderick also called for awhistle-blowers’ charter for thebanking sector to be put inplace.

IBOA chief Larry Broderick points finger at management ‘arrogance’

We needCroke Pkstyle dealfor banksector

Every wipeof his eyestakes Tallacloser toblindness

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If, like Sightsavers, you believe that nobody should go blindneedlessly from trachoma, river blindness or cataract,please make a donation today to support our eye care workin some of the most deprived communities in the world.

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‘

‘Workers were notborn with saddleson their backs andbankers were notborn with bootsand whips either.

Dave Hughes, INMO speaking on Motion 32

PSEU general secretary Tom Geraghtyhas called on unions not to fall intothe situation of “putting ourselves inopposition” and “not taking responsi-bility” for “negotiating solutions” withgovernment and employers.

He told delegates: “I would suggestthat that would be ill-advised. I thinkwe have to have a discussion aboutwhere we are going to go in terms ofthe relationship with employers and

with government. We have to be ableto have some sort of formal processwith which we engage with employersand government.”

And Mr Geraghty, who was speak-ing on Motion 20, pointed out thatthe “most successful and fairest” soci-eties were those who had “formalprocesses” to facilitate engagementbetween unions, employers and gov-ernment.

Engagement is vital

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STANDINGTOGETHER

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CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY• WEEK OF EVENTS NORTH AND SOUTH • DETAILS AND LINKS PAGE 5

DON’TBANKON IT!

Think the EU/ECB have your interests at heart?

THE primary objective of the EU and

ECB is to protect the European banking

system, Congress general secretary David

Begg has claimed.He told delegates at the PSEU confer-

ence in Galway on April 15 that those

voices from Brussels calling for greater

austerity were not “distinterested actors”

in determining who shouldered the

burden for the financial crisis.

Rather, he suggested, they were “not

without responsibility” themselves.

French and German banks had a €900bn

exposure to “peripheral” EU economies

but this amount was now being reduced.

This meant that bondholder exposure

to Irish banks had declined at the same

time as ECB emergency funding to the

Republic had risen.They were, Mr Begg told delegates,

“getting out under covering fire provided

by the ECB”. FULL STORY PAGE 3

MARCH 26 DEMOS PICTURE SPECIAL P12-15

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