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Dublin Council of Trade Unions by 11-10 (The narrowest of margins) vote down ATGWU Motion calling on

category dublin | summit mobilisations | news report author Wednesday April 14, 2004 18:12author by Paul Kinsella - Very disillusioned DCTU Delegateauthor email paulkinsella53 at yahoo dot comauthor address 53 Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9, Eireauthor phone 085 - 1478100

The DCTU to have their May Day March as normal on May 1ST this year (2004)

Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) Motion calling on the Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) to revert to having their annual May Day as normal On May Day, May 1ST this year (2004) was only thrown out by the narrowest of margins (11-10) at the DCTU Monthly General Delegates meeting last night (Tuesday the 13TH, unlucky for some, I.E. The DCTU).

The turnout was much smaller than normal due to the continuing difficulties with the postal service, and there were 2 delegates that I know, who would have voted for the ATGWU Motion had they have known of last night's DCTU meeting in advance, and this would have forced the DCTU into a very embarrassing climbdown.

That's how close we came to overturning the Dublin Council of Trade Union's (DCTU's) original disgraceful decision to cancel their traditional May Day March this year. However it still wasn't enough to defeat the DCTU hierarchy led by Sam Nolan and Arthur Hall (TEEU). Some of the stuff said by some of the DCTU Delegates was absolutely appalling, and they were following the black media propaganda of "thousands of armed anarchists going to reign terror on the law abiding citizens of Dublin on May Day" (I kid you not! This load of bollock was repeated several times by a number of the Delegates last night, and not matter how many times we rebutted their lies, they kept repeating them). Not only that they made several smart-arsed and condescending remarks about anti-globalisation and anti-capitalist activists, and there was a generally dismissive attitude towards the new and growing anti-globalisation/anti-capitalist movements.

Well the DCTU have just dug their own grave, and they've just proved just how out of touch they are. They are to a very large extent a bunch of middle-aged and elderly men (Sam Nolan is 74! And another Delegate last night said that he was 72). There are very few young Delegates (Myself being one of the exceptions), and very few female Delegates (Only 2 out of around 40 DCTU Delegates, if I'm not mistaken are female). Something similar to what happened in Galway a few years back is going to happen here in Dublin. In Galway they had the same problem, an ageing and an increasingly conservative Trades Council, who effectively allowed the traditional May Day protests to fizzle out, but May Day has been revived by the new, young, and growing Anti-capitalist/Anti-globalisation movements in Galway. I hope that you'se have another successful series of May Day events in Galway this year.

Anyway I was talking to a number of the more committed DCTU Delegates after last night's vote and they've told me that there will be at least some Trade Union banners present, on at least the Another Europe Is Possible March, and possibly at some of the other May Day actions as well, and don't forget, we have the new rising Trade Union movement, as represented by the Independent Workers Union (I.W.U.), who I'm fairly confident will be participating in this year's Dublin May Day events. I think that we are going to see more workers, both those already represented by a Trade Union, and those who are not currently represented by a Trade Union joining the I.W.U.

Finally I would like to wish all of the very diverse groups organising the various May Day events all the best, and I intend to participate in as many of them as I can. Don't let this bit of bad (Although not unexpected) news put you down. Don't let the bastards (In ICTU, the DCTU, and Trade Union establishment) put you down! We kind of expect this shite from the media, but when it comes from people who are supposed to be represnting workers and the ordinary folk, it really is stomach-churning.

Paul Kinsella,
Very disgruntled DCTU Delegate.

Comments (6 of 6)

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"thousands of armed anarchists...."
author by Badmanpublication date Wed Apr 14, 2004 20:11author address author phone

The Irish Times have published two articles so far on mayday, both rightly rubbished the mayday hysteria. Meanwhile a majority of the union bureaucrats swallow it wholesale. The IT under a PD is now to the left of DCTU? Oh sorry day.

Join the IWU
author by Jonahpublication date Wed Apr 14, 2004 20:48author address author phone

Good report Paul and pleased to relate that I popped my IWU membership application off in the post this morning. :)

Interesting report.
author by R. Isiblepublication date Wed Apr 14, 2004 23:32author address author phone

Thanks for that Paul. What sort of influence do the ATGWU have in the DCTU? If the motion had been passed would that have forced the DCTU to have re-examined the issue?

Who are the other major players in the DCTU and what has there stance been on the abandonment of the traditional May Day?

ok teach me
author by pcpublication date Wed Apr 14, 2004 23:49author address author phone

ok i understand the importance of organising structure in terms of geting a march together but whats stopping the all the unions members from going out on a march anyway ..... apart from any new union or aeip

DIY
author by DIY'erpublication date Thu Apr 15, 2004 01:56author address author phone

There is nothing to stop individual members of trade unions from staging a Mayday March. We do not need the DCTU to do it for us, and we do not need their permission or their "blessing". I'm on for a Workers' March on the day.
Would love to have more details of who said what, and the tone of the various comments. And the political affiliations of the people who made those comments.

Have to pull you up, Paul, on a couple of things. There is nothing wrong with people being "middle aged" - I could be described as "middle aged" but I still have not lost the radical edge. There is a world of difference between me and Sam Nolan, one of those differences being that Sam is a traditional Stalinist and long-time member of the CP, and I have always taken an independent position.

Also on that note, you say
"There are very few young Delegates (Myself being one of the exceptions)," !!
Definitely have to pull you up on that one, Paul, - you are no spring chicken!

Having got that off my chest, I still think it is possible to get something together for Mayday without the union brass. After all, virtually all of the work of organising protests was always carried out by militants within the union rank and file. The top brass only attended for the photo opportunity.

Yes, they are very out of touch, but then most of them receive salaries equal to five or six times the pay of most of their members. So it should come as no surprise that they think like the boss class.

What if, pc...?
author by Des Derwinpublication date Thu Apr 15, 2004 02:03author address author phone

What if the union that proposed the defeated motion organised a trade union march on 1st May?

Don't forget, though there's no march, the DCTU are organising a number of events in Liberty Hall from 8 p.m. onwards on the 1st May. All unions and trade unionists are asked to support. Leaflets and posters available from all affilaited trade unions.

Anyway, sorry all, I'll be at the William Thompson Weekend in Cork. Will march there.

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