Support growing for Friday's 'National Day Of Action'

by Updater Mon Dec 05, 2005 18:15

National protests in support of Irish Ferries workers who are fighting against their replacement by cheaper foreign staff must go ahead, union leaders demanded today as the two sides attended talks to resolve the dispute.
SIPTU negotiators and management have begun intensive talks at the Labour Relations Commission following intervention by the country’s top industrial relations trouble-shooter, the National Implementation Body.
But the President of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, Arthur Hall, warned the talks might not succeed.
And he said the planned rally on Friday should go ahead because the issues of exploitation, job displacement and employment standards affected tens of thousands of other workers.
“Every day Dublin trade unionists encounter people, either in the workplace or other walks of life, who are being grossly exploited by unscrupulous employers.
“What is required next Friday is a demonstration of trade union strength that will send a clear message that this type of behaviour is not acceptable in a civilised society,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there are many employers engaged in even worse practices than those proposed on Irish Ferries vessels.
“We are not just talking about employment rights, such as the right to the national minimum wage and statutory holidays, but basic civil liberties, such as the right to privacy, the right to be treated with respect and the right to say ‘no’ when ordered to carry out dangerous and degrading tasks,” he said.
“We do not want to see the emergence of social apartheid in this country, where some people make excessive profits at the expense of vulnerable, migrant workers while the rest of us turn a blind eye because we enjoy job security and decent living standards,” he said.
Mr Hall warned that such a strategy would fly in the face of the trade union movement’s values and would be a betrayal of the country’s future.

by Updater Mon Dec 05, 2005 17:52

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that there is now a basis for meaningful negotiation in the Irish Ferries dispute. Mr Ahern said he and his officials spent most of the weekend in discussions with the social partners on the issue.

by Updater Mon Dec 05, 2005 16:52

On his way into the talks SIPTU's Paul Smith said Friday's planned nationwide protest is still going ahead. He said the main obstacle to resolving the dispute will be the Irish Ferries plans to reflag its ships.

by Updater Mon Dec 05, 2005 16:47

SIPTU negotiators have said they are not optimistic about the possibility of reaching agreement with Irish Ferries as long as the company pursues its policy of reflagging vessels. The comments came as the representatives arrived for separate talks at the Labour Relations Commission earlier today, aimed at resolving the dispute. Irish Ferries management would not comment in advance of the talks. The dispute has halted Irish Ferries services for the past ten days.

by Padraig Mon Dec 05, 2005 16:06 Co Mayo

I am going to support the national day of protest.

by reader Mon Dec 05, 2005 15:57

Yep - this is the chance the union has to stand up for the immigrant workers (rather than just their own members looking for redundancy deals) and demand that Irish Ferries pay EVERYONE the same decent rates, and not just the minimum either. It stretches beyond their reach of negotiating solely for their own members, and it would be actually making a stance that would enforce the rhetoric thats been coming out from their quarters about fighting the 'race to the bottom'.

Will it happen? Will the union break from the mould of merely looking after its own (an ever shrinking number), or will it make a very political, international, and inclusive gesture of solidarity with workers from poorer countries being exploited here? Will the union reps at talks between ICTU/SIPTU and Irish Ferries look beyond their own back yard?

Time will tell. Personally, I think I know the answer to that one well in advance. But we'll see.

by SIPTU Member Mon Dec 05, 2005 15:39

I share the fear of other commentators that SITPU will agree to a deal at the LRC that will see current employees keep previous rates of pay, while all new employees, most likely from Lavtia, will be paid the minimum wage (minus money for food and accommodation according to some sources) with long hours and poor conditions.

This would open up a division between irish and Immigrant workers and give the green light to all bosses to sack workers on decent pay and conditions and bring in immigrant workers at the minimum wage or less if they can get away with it.

The deal will probably be concluded by Wednesday. If this happens then either the demo will be cancelled or very few people will turn up, thinking "what's the point?"

by Paul Kinsella - CPSU Activist And An Post Worker (Strictly Personal Capacity!)! Mon Dec 05, 2005 15:04 paulkinsella53 at yahoo dot com 53 Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9, Eire 0851478100

I share the fears of 'Seer' above, and I'm sure many others do as well, given their recent terrible track record, where they are almost siding with the bosses on many issues. That's why I say lets go ahead with Friday's Protest regardless of ICTU! It's about time us workers regained our confidence, and do our own grassroots, rank and file activity, and if ICTU decide to support us, then well and good, but lets not be waiting on the likes of ICTU to organise anything because we'll be waiting forever! Remember that's how the huge PAYE Protests started, through independent, grassroots, rank and file action, that, initially forced the Dublin Council of Trade Unions to support the huge PAYE Protests, and eventually forced ICTU to row in behind as well, but only a long and bitter struggle. Although many would say, once ICTU got involved in the PAYE Protests, that was the death-knell of the PAYE Protests. So a lesson for all of us there!

by Paul Kinsella - CPSU Activist (Strictly Personal Capacity!)! Mon Dec 05, 2005 14:52 paulkinsella53 at yahoo dot com 53 Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9, Eire 0851478100

Because, if as seems likely that's what ICTU are desperately trying to do at the moment, you will unlease the wrath of Irish workers. We must go ahead with Friday's Protests, even if, as seems likely, ICTU do everything in their power to try and sabotage it. It's the worst kept secret that the likes of Beggs and the other Union bureaucrats don't want Friday's protests to go ahead, because they quite rightly fear that they will finally scupper their beloved so-called 'partnership'.

by Seer Mon Dec 05, 2005 13:44

Word has it that instead of walking the streets on Friday in solidarity against the 'race to the bottom' that the trade union leadership will be walking into new 'partnership' talks.
A week is a long time in ..................

by - Sat Dec 03, 2005 21:19

Wow.I hope these "sources" are correct.we need mass support and a large turnout...

by John McDermott - removefiannafail Sat Dec 03, 2005 14:50 Spain

A capitalist dilemma for a socialist Taoiseach
Cheap labour is already commonplace in Ireland.The income tax take is dropping.The bin taxes are climbing.!
Nobody on Irish Ferries will be payin Bertie no income taxes no more...

Crocodile tears from our glorious leader