NBRU has the balls that the rest of the so-called 'Trade Union' movement doesn't

by Terry Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:42

This privatization plan follows exactly the plan as laid out in Article 133 of the NICE treaty
and identified by many of the No to Nice campaign groups in particular LAN (Libertarians Against NICE)

NICE gave the unelected EU commission power to negotiate treaties with international organisation over
a huge number of issues and servives. What this means they can and will sign us up to the privatization
of 140+ different services as outlined in the GATS/WTO.

Lets be clear here, the government will give away the most lucrative routes first and then the remainder of
Dublin Bus will have to struggle on the scraps which will drive them down further and then the government
will be easily able to say -look they are losing a fortune, why not privatize the rest.

Privatization will mean higher fares, less people using the service, a lower quality service and of course
worse conditions for those who work there. This is exactly what happened in the UK.

You will see a lot of routes dropped and then service will be concentrated around the peak in the morning
and evening. Forget the middle of the day, Saturday and especially Sundays.

Already the government is talking about water meters again as opening shots in it's efforts to privatize
our water. We already have the non-payment of the Bin Tax by at least 65% of Dublin residents to oppose
privatization of waste while I may add Recycling is being purposely underfunded so as to set it up for
failure and to use this as an attempt to justify the building of 6 incinerators in Ireland, with a truly
massive one planned for Dublin with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year -which will burn of course
recyable material, -paper, cardboard and plastic and poison us in the process, even though one of the
biggest recyclers of Plastic in Europe (Wellman Inc.) is only 50 miles away in Cavan, and have asked the
government and councils numerous times to send up the plastic (bottles) they can. Nothing done! We are
being setup to be poisoned!!!!

Our health system is being allowed to run into a shambles and as a result already 45+% people have private
health insurance as a precaution against the public system. But you can be sure this has not gone un-noticed
by those who will use this for the final push to privatization.

And our education system will be privatised soon too. Fees are back. Public-Private partnerships are being planned,
apparently there is no money to build and fix primary schools (but there is to pay hundreds of millions to SSIA
savers who predominately are better off, especially those saving the higher amounts.) -This lack of money is going
to be used as a pretext to launch this public-private partnerships which have been a disaster elsewhere.
It will start by privatization around the edges, such as catering, maintenance, then perhaps like in the USA,
where private companies will sponsor schools in all sorts of ways. Mad as it may seem, but in the US, fast-food
companies have taken over catering and now push burgers, pizzas, chicken burgers in the school canteen. Gone
is fresh fruit and veg. and balanced diets, the lack of which lead to obesity, but increases sales of fast food.

http://struggle.ws/about/nice.html

The NICE treaty and globalisation
http://struggle.ws/ireland/nice/analysis/corporate.html

by Reclaim the Unions Tue Jan 14, 2003 11:07

I fully support the actions of the bus workers tomorrow. They are giving a good example to other public sector workers.

I would differ with others on this newswire and say that the NBRU should be in ICTU. ICTU have thousands of members, and it should be re-claimed from the bureaucrats.

by Camillus - Bus driver on the no. 11 Mon Jan 13, 2003 20:41 Crumlin, Dublin 12

Up the f**king workers. United we stand. No surrender!

by Camillus - Bus driver on the no. 11 Mon Jan 13, 2003 20:30 Crumlin, Dublin 12

Billy said right, Johnny says no, but Paul Kinsella says the workers want dough.

by Des Mon Jan 13, 2003 20:30

I was really impressed by "Brother" Joe O'Toole's performance on RTE at six, he looked so shifty.
Given the nature of the latest sellout (icluding pay pause), one wonders can the ICTU shower sink any lower?

by kev - personal capacity Mon Jan 13, 2003 19:33

as a regular user of bus eireann on my many treks up to the big smoke i extend solidarity and admiration for the stoppage. especially to the driver of the 'last bus' who always makes sure im awake for me stop. good stuff.