Tomás Ó Flatharta

Looking at Things from the Left

Archive for the ‘UNITE’ Category

Several Trade Unions Opposing Household Tax

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THE SECOND-LARGEST trade union in the State has urged its members not to pay the household charge.

Unite yesterday called on its 60,000 members not to register for the charge ahead of the March 31st deadline.

Unite was among several trade union groups which yesterday voiced their opposition to the €100 household charge.

“We are urging people not to register and will stand beside those who are willing to show courage and resist the charge,” spokesman Rob Hartnett said at a press conference.

 

The Dublin Council of Trade Unions welcomed the campaign against the charge and supported “efforts of the organisers to encourage people not to register and not to pay”, Des Derwin of the umbrella body noted yesterday.

The executive of the council took up the position at its February meeting, he said. The body represented most trade unions in Dublin but not all unions have taken up this position, he added.

 

 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0321/1224313641895.html

 

 

Written by tomasoflatharta

Mar 20, 2012 at 5:32 pm

Posted in Financial Crisis (September 2008 onwards), Household Tax 2012, Ireland, Trade Unions, UNITE

Dublin Council of Trade Unions: a campaign against austerity; no to the Fiscal Treaty ; non-payment of the household and water charges.

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Motion from UNITE passed at the DCTU delegate meeting on Tuesday 28th on austerity, the fiscal compact and the household and water Charges.

It calls for a united campaign against austerity, for the trade unions and the ICTU to oppose the Treaty and for support for the household and water charges non-payment campaign.

Written by tomasoflatharta

Mar 6, 2012 at 4:53 pm

Posted in Household Tax 2012, Mass Action, Trade Unions, UNITE, Water Charges

Why Does The Irish Labour Party Seek Fine Gael’s Kiss-of-Death?

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In the last days of the 2011 Irish General Election Campaign Labour Party leaders and spinners are warning that the voters might choose a Fine Gael single party government. Their alternative? : Coalition – Fine Gael’s Enda Kenny for Taoiseach, Labour’s Eamon Gilmore the Tánaiste – that’s the message.

SIPTU leader Jack O’Connor, for example, claims “that a coalition government would be far preferable as the country imposes spending cuts as part of its EU and IMF bailout.

“If you look at the lessons of history, they (Fine Gael) haven’t been in government on their own since 1927 when their predecessor Cumann na nGaedheal was in government,”….

“They pursued policy which resulted in economic stagnation for 60 years. And that’s the kind of policy that’s being advocated by both of the centre-right parties at the present time.”

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/15/ireland-politics-union-idUKLDE71E2C620

First – is a single-party Fine Gael government possible or likely?

We will know for sure on Saturday February 26 – at the time of writing, if the polls are right, a single party Fine Gael government is possible but unlikely.

http://politicalreform.ie/2011/02/22/seat-estimates-for-irish-independent-millward-brown-lansdowne-opinion-poll-23rd-february/#more-2337

A second factor is political – many Fine Gael backers, for example the former party leader Garret FitzGerald, argue that coalition with Labour is a better tactical option for this right-wing party. Read the rest of this entry »

Written by tomasoflatharta

Feb 23, 2011 at 12:32 pm

Posted in Fianna Fáil, Financial Crisis (September 2008 onwards), Fine Gael, General Election 2011, Green Party, Ireland, Labour Party (Ireland), Opinion Polls, People Before Profit, Sinn Féin, SIPTU, Socialist Party, Trade Unions, UNITE, United Left Alliance

Labour Leadership Offensive to the Left, Offensive Against the Left

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Thanks to Des Derwin for this article, also published here :

http://www.irishleftreview.org/2011/01/25/godsend-sinn-fin-left/

The Finance Bill stroke is the latest, but greatest, in a line of indications that Labour in government will be on the good ship Austerity.

Until fairly recently I would have counselled my friends on the left against rejecting calls for an all-left alliance out of hand and, instead, for saying to Labour and Sinn Féin, ‘reject coalition and austerity and we can all ally’. The clarity of Labour’s intentions makes this position redundant. More, the Labour leadership has now gone on the offensive against the ULA and Sinn Féin, against the rest of an all-left alliance.

http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/talk-away-mister-higgins/

Read the rest of this entry »

Written by tomasoflatharta

Jan 25, 2011 at 6:57 pm

Posted in Abortion, Feminism, Fianna Fáil, Financial Crisis (September 2008 onwards), Fine Gael, General Election 2011, Ireland, Labour Party (Ireland), People Before Profit, Sinn Féin, Socialist Party, Trade Unions, UNITE, United Left Alliance

UNITE Union Calls for a Left Vote in the Irish General Election

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Statement for immediate release

Sunday, January 9th 2011

UNITE CALLS ON MEMBERS TO VOTE LEFT

The UNITE trade union, the second largest union in the Republic of Ireland has called on all working people to vote for a left wing government in the general election likely to be held in March.

“Workers should use their vote in the upcoming general election to bring about a left-wing government for the first time in the history of the state,” said Jimmy Kelly, Regional Secretary of Unite the union.

UNITE is an affiliate member of the Labour Party, and is encouraging the party to look left for coalition partners rather than to the old order of Fine Gael.

Read the rest of this entry »

Written by tomasoflatharta

Jan 12, 2011 at 8:18 am

Posted in Financial Crisis (September 2008 onwards), General Election 2011, Ireland, Trade Unions, UNITE

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