Begg: Troika want to make Ireland economic laboratory

ONE of the country’s senior trade unionists has accused the IMF/EU/ECB troika of “wanting to make Ireland an economic laboratory”, as he insisted cutting workers’ wages will not create jobs.

The general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions made his comments after Taoiseach Enda Kenny pointed out that the majority of the areas where there has been mass unemployment in recent years have their wages set by Joint Labour Committees.

Mr Kenny’s ministerial colleague Richard Bruton has yet to announce how JLCs are to be reformed, but Mr Kenny gave a clear indication of the route the Government is taking.