National day of protest - Protest will reflect anger of workers

IF, as anticipated, Friday’s mass march goes ahead, it will be the biggest display of trade union muscle in three decades.

With 50,000 workers expected to take part in demonstrations across the country and in Dublin, the management of Irish Ferries should have no illusions about the intensity of public reaction to replacing redundant seafarers with low wage workers from Eastern Europe.

Many parents have reason to be concerned as primary and secondary schools look set to be disrupted. While schools will remain open, difficulties are bound to arise after they close, especially as bus and rail drivers are set to join the march.

Inevitably, that will cause widespread disruption to urban and suburban transport systems.

As the Labour Relations Commission seeks a solution to the Irish Ferries dispute, today’s protest will reflect the anger and anxieties of Irish workers as they see their colleagues being sacrificed on the altar of greed.