The sleeping giant of the CPSU has finally awoken!
dublin |
worker & community struggles and protests |
news report 
Tuesday November 21, 2006 23:50
by Paul Kinsella - CPSU Activist And An Post Worker (Strictly Personal Capacity!)!
paulkinsella53 at yahoo dot com
53 Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9, Eire
0851478100
Now it's time to arouse the sleeping giants of the other unions!
It looks like the sleeping giant of the CPSU has finally awoken! In addition to the CPSU Executive Committee voting to pursue our own pay claims separately of ICTU and 'Towards 2016', the CPSU Executive Committee at its meeting held on Thursday, November 2nd, 2006 voted to pass the following Motion: "In the context of persistent high inflation and to ensure real wage increases for those on lower/average incomes, CPSU calls on the Dublin Council of Trade Unions to campaign vigorously for government action to reduce inflation particularly in the services sector of the Irish Economy and in particular to impose a freeze on all public service charges in health, local authority, energy and transport and other areas within direct Government control."
Following it's acceptance by the CPSU Executive Committee it was then forwarded to the Executive of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU), who hold their monthly meeting on the 1st Tuesday of every month, which this month was November 7th, and the DCTU Executive agreed to put our Motion on the Agenda for the monthly General Delegates meeting, held on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, this month it was November 14th. In the abscence of our President, Betty Tyrrell-Collard, who was away on holidays, I Proposed the Motion which was Seconded. After a lively debate our Motion was passed by the DCTU Delegates almost unanimously with no votes against and 1 abstention.
Apart from the usual of lobbying of politicans via letters and phone calls and meeting politicans, which the DCTU are quite happy to do, we in the CPSU are crystal clear that our Motion commits the DCTU to organising a March to the Dáil during the working week when the Dáil sits (Monday to Friday). Some in the DCTU were quite hesitant and nervous about organising a March. However, we know that if enough effort is put into this by the DCTU and the various unions that we will get a very large turnout. Certainly, the CPSU won't be found wanting!
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4Bertie will just say the marchers are supporting him. And the general public will simply ignore it.
Hard to believe that anybody at the DCTU could have abstained on such a serious issue considering the fact that David Beggs has already flagged it.
I think that Paul Kinsella's assessment of what is happening in the CPSU is not accurate. There isn't support in the union to go it alone or to fight on these issues. I also doubt very much that the trades council is going to organise anything more than a token protest. Unfortunate but its the truth.
Right, people are right to be cynical given the track record not just of the CPSU, but of the rest of the unions, the DCTU and ICTU, but we have to start somewhere! I mean, we, I, included have often thought what's the point of being involved in the union? I'm sure many of you have thought of throwing in the towel regards the unions. However, if we succumb to those negative thoughts we may as well just throw in the towel for good. Someone has to take a stand and say "enough is enough!" To be honest, without giving away our hands, it won't be left solely to the DCTU to organise this March. Others will be involved. This is a great time to put the politicans under pressure with an election due next year and the upcoming budget the last before the election. Most low and middle paid workers, myself included, have seen our small pay rises completely wiped out by the rising cost of such things as ESB and gas, so people are very angry. All we need is a focal point to express our anger. That's why a March to the Dáil before the budget when the Dáil is sitting (Monday to Friday) is so important.
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