Union threatens campaign of civil disobedience

A union today called workers to launch a campaign of civil disobedience in protest at the Government’s national recovery plan.

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) condemned the four-year blueprint to make €15bn of savings,

General secretary Eamon Devoy claimed the document was a 140 page recruitment leaflet for Saturday’s mass protest in Dublin.

“The proposed fee hikes for students, higher VAT rates, higher PAYE and inevitable cuts in public services all impact on low and middle income families hardest,” he said.

“By contrast there are no increases in capital taxes, no plans to penalise tax exiles and no higher PAYE rate for high earners.”

Mr Devoy said proposals in the plan confirm his worst fears of what the Government had in mind for its latest bailout of the banks.

He maintained parts also appeared to be coded language for cutting the wages of hundreds of thousands of workers in sectors such as construction, electrical contracting and tourism.

Last weekend TEEU delegates voted overwhelmingly for a campaign of civil disobedience if the Government did not call an election.

“I can say now that we are prepared to pursue a similar campaign to oppose this plan if it is implemented,” said Mr Devoy.

TEEU is the largest engineering union in Ireland and the second largest in manufacturing, representing up to 40,000 workers.