Union leader wants general strike over country’s economic direction

THE Unite trade union is lobbying within ICTU in support of a general strike as a “clear message to the government in waiting” that it must change the country’s economic direction.

The 60,000-member union’s motion for a general strike was presented to the ICTU executive council last month and was referred on to the union umbrella group’s powerful general purpose committee, which will meet on January 11.

In the lead-up to this meeting, Unite has been asking rank-and-file trade unionists to voice their support for a general work stoppage.

In a letter to the ICTU leadership last month, Unite regional secretary Jimmy Kelly made clear the aim of a general strike would be to both express anger at the current government’s ‘austerity measures’ and make clear the economic direction the trade union movement would wish a new administration to take.

In the letter, Mr Kelly said the massive turn-out for the ICTU protest march last November indicated “a consensus is emerging over an alternative economic, fiscal and banking strategy to that of the government’s and the prevailing austerity orthodoxy”.

The union leader summarised the points of consensus as:

* Increase taxation on those who can afford it — high-income and high-wealth groups.

* No cuts in the overall level of public spending.

* A multi-year, multi-billion programme of public investment.

* Banks and their bondholders should be responsible for their own debt, not the people.

Mr Kelly stated these points “could be the basis of a campaign that will take us into next year, the next election and beyond”.

An “integral component” of the campaign would be work stoppages, the first to take place this month.

“We believe that this is necessary to send a signal to government that there is an alternative economic strategy, but more importantly to send a clear message to the government in waiting that adherence or pursuance of the current government arrangements is unacceptable,” the letter concludes.