Potential hostage to fortune to an inept government and corrupt minority.

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release

Wednesday March 25, 2009 17:54

by Eugene Mc Cartan - Communist Party of Ireland

cpoi at eircom dot net

James Connolly House, 43 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2:

01 - 6708707 or 0879733414

ICTU to re-enter talks.

The decision by the ICTU to go back into talks with the Government has the potential to place the trade union movement in a position where it will become tied to Government policies, in particular to the consequences of the forthcoming budget and all future budgets.

COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRELAND

25th March 09

PRESS STATEMENT

The decision by the ICTU to go back into talks with the Government has the potential to place the trade union movement in a position where it will become tied to Government policies, in particular to the consequences of the forthcoming budget and all future budgets.

It is clear from the letter sent by Brian Cowen to David Begg that these talks go well beyond rescuing the current agreement but are geared more towards locking the trade union movement into a position of supporting future Government policy, leaving themselves hostage to fortune to an inept government.

Using such terms in his letter to the ICTU as “societal ownership” of the crisis, Cowen in effect is stating—and the ICTU is clearly buying into this—that society as a whole must accept the responsibility and the cost of a crisis created by a few who, in creating it, made billions off our labour.

The previous “social partnership” agreements did nothing to end the gross inequality that exists in Irish society. If the trade union movement concludes a new agreement with this bankrupt Government the likelihood of achieving a more socially just Ireland is even more extreme, given present conditions.

The present crisis is both global and has specific Irish features, resulting from the policies of the present Government and its cronies in the banks and among property speculators. If the trade union movement does a deal it will be letting this Government, the bankers and speculators away with the pensions, social welfare payments and health and educational services of its members, whether they are now employed or have lost their jobs recently. To continue to raid the public purse in order to bail out a corrupt minority.

This approach is the road to nowhere. It is time for a new departure. If workers are to be called on to make sacrifices, we need to start thinking and acting independently of this Government and crisis-ridden system. A socially just society is clearly not on the agenda of this Government, or any other potential coalition Government, no matter what combination of parties makes it up. Statement ends

Eugene Mc Cartan
General Secretary
087 9733414