By Scott Millar, Sean O’Riordan, Jimmy Woulfe and Marese McDonagh
Saturday, November 07, 2009
DIVIDING public and private sector workers is merely a Government-inspired attempt to weaken the labour movement, was the key message from trade union leaders to tens of thousands partaking in ICTU’s National Day of Protest yesterday.
With up to 50,000 public and private sector workers taking to the streets of Dublin, and an estimated 60,000 attending ICTU organised rallies in other towns and cities, the trade unions last night believed a strong signal had been sent to Taoiseach Brain Cowen that their concerns must be addressed.
In possibly the opening shot of a winter of industrial discontent ICTU vice president Patricia King was direct when addressing marchers in Dublin’s Merrion square.
Condemning both the Government and employers group IBEC she said "there is one rule for them and another rule for us".
Dismissing NAMA as little more than a bailout for the "chancers" who had ruined the economy Ms King added: "It is IBEC’s friends, not ours, that tarnished the name of Ireland through their actions."
She then addressed the Finance Minister — "Mr Lenihan your mission is to protect the greedy, ours is to protect the needy."
The more intemperate remarks by the ICTU leadership were cheered but in the crowd some discord was expressed. Independent city councillor Ciarán Perry criticised the union chiefs for their reluctance to call a "general strike".
Community groups joined trade unionists in the estimated 15,000 who gathered in Cork.
The march was led by Garda Sergeant John Liston carrying the Frontline Alliance banner. Sgt Liston was seriously injured in 2007 attempting to disarm a man wielding a knife.
Prior to speeches by local union leaders Cork city centre rang out to anthems like We Will Rock You, Talking About A Revolution and The Times They Are A Changing.
One protester’s placard depicted Brian Cowen’s head on a stake and carried the slogan "one good cut".
On the Cork march Eilish Corcoran, a nurse for 23 years, said banks were refusing some of her colleagues extensions on their mortgages and more cuts in wages could see them losing their homes.
Melanie Harris, a single parent who works for an Eircom subsidiary, said the Government should be taxing the rich even more and there should be no cuts in social welfare.
In Munster’s second city up to 5,000 turned out. The Limerick demonstration was told unions are prepared to play their part in getting the country through the current difficulties.
Dan Miller, assistant general secretary of the TWU, addressing the assembled marchers in Pery Square, said: "We have a very simple message to pass on to the Taoiseach today from the mid-west.
"We want to make that message loud and clear that we in the trade union movement are quite capable of assisting everybody in this country to get out of the difficulties we are in, but only on the basis of a better and fairer way. "
The president of the Limerick Trades Council, Mike McNamara said the public sector, private sector, the employed, the unemployed and the retired were now united on the front line in opposition to cuts.
He said: "Everybody here wants to send out a message to the Government today: stop the cuts."
A woman who emerged before the listed speakers on the platform challenged the mood of the gathering by singling out Defence Minister Willie O’Dea for praise.
One man shouted: "Go away out of that. Willie O’Dea! Another one of ‘em."
A rally attended by close to 5,000 protesters in Sligo heard Taoiseach Brian Cowen being warned to "take on the big guys" rather than ordinary workers as protesters from Donegal, Roscommon, Leitrim, Mayo, Cavan and Sligo packed Sligo’s main street.
In Waterford Mayor John Halligan said: "We have reached the state we are in now, because we are in a crony state with a group of politicians who have no sense of morality."
Trade union leaders have expressed satisfaction at the scale of yesterday’s events. Frontline Alliance workers including gardaí, nurses, prison officers and firemen will march next Wednesday.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, November 07, 2009
