Reclaiming Our Trade Unions - Conference

by D_D - TUAN Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:21

Trade Union Activist Network

Press Statement

Conference to discuss reforming trade unions
Unions must lead campaign against austerity

On Saturday October 1st a major gathering of trade union activists will discuss the establishing a network to campaign for reform of our unions.
The Conference is being organised by a number of trade union activists from a wide range of unions.

Terry Kelleher, a member of the Executive of the CPSU, said
“Since the onset of the economic crisis workers have experienced attack after attack. Wages have been cut in the public and private sector, conditions have been eroded and worst of all hundreds of thousands have been thrown on the dole with little prospect of a real job.
The government and employers are using the crises to take away protection for the low paid and most vulnerable workers.
Given all this many trade unionists are disgusted that the leadership of our movement have failed to lead a sustained campaign of opposition. The trade union leadership have colluded in the agenda of cuts and austerity. We need to reclaim our unions to fightback against cuts, attacks on workers’ rights and austerity.”

Owen Mc Cormick, of the Buswrokers Action Group, said:
“The myth has been perpetuated that Irish workers will not resist. Unlike the Greeks we understand the need for cuts and accept that the medicine dished out by the IMF, the EU and the government is good for us. Yet every time workers have been called out, in February 2009 and December 2010, tens of thousands responded. In November 2009 we say the biggest public sector stoppage in Irish history. The real issue is that the leadership is out of touch and are using their control of our movement to generate passivity.
Its time for real change in our movement. Time to build a network of activists committed to real change and for a fight against cuts and austerity.”

This conference will discuss how to build a network committed to:
Defending our pay and conditions and fighting for jobs
Defending our services and making the rich pay for the crises
Ensuring trade unions leaders are fully accountable to their members with election of all officials on workers’ wages
Ensuring democracy operates at all levels of our movement
Strong workplace organisation which seriously recruits new union members

Contact : Terry Kelleher 087 2857665, Owen Mc Cormack 087 2858388

by trade unionist Wed Sep 28, 2011 21:21

Looking forward to this and after reading that siptu membership has fallen from 187,716 to 177, 323 since 2010 in the sunday business post. Cant get that link online though. Also mentions that the averge cost of a siptu staff member is 76 grand, christ! That's well above average in the public sector. Must be nicer to the trade union committee methinks...