Workers Solidarity Movement

It was announced today that the NAMA board members received a huge pay hike with the board's chair receiving a 70% pay increase. This is in stark contract to the two successive wage cuts of between 14% - 18% of income for all public sector workers.We've consistently heard the idea that we "all need to pull together" to get out of this recession, and that painful cuts are necessary. This however has shown itself to be little more than a slogan.

March - April 2010 Edition of the Workers Solidarity freesheet.

PDF of Workers Solidarity 114 Southern Web Edition 2.8 Mb

Public Service Work-To-Rule
Haiti: Intervention and Imperialism
Transformation Agenda
Solidarity Books opens its doors in Cork
That's Capitalism
European anarchists meet in Paris
Keep Water Free
Review of An Anarchist FAQ
Thinking About Anarchism

The ruling class strategy of making working people pay for the crisis has seen public and private sector pay cuts, job losses, welfare reductions and slashing of important services like special needs assistants for children with physical and mental problems. Coming soon, if Cowan and Gormley have their way, is the return of a domestic water tax.

Since the middle of January civil and public servants have engaged in a work-to-rule in an attempt to force a reversal of the pay cuts announced by the government in the December budget. Across the country workers in government offices, colleges, schools, hospitals etc. are taking action, which they hope will result in a change of government policy.

This is a plan to secure “efficiencies” by getting people to work harder and for longer, meaning that some existing jobs can be scrapped. Of course there are some sensible suggestions for improving services, but they mask an agenda for getting rid of jobs.

The week before last Erris fisherman Pat O'Donnell was jailed for seven months for his part in the communities ongoing resistance to Shell's attempt to impose an experimental gas pipeline on them. Across the country local Shell to Sea groups have been holding solidarity protests and other events for Pat. In Dublin this has included two protests and a public meeting in UCD. Meanwhile Shell have been forced to admit a temporary defeat in the face of local opposition and call off the construction they have planned for Glengad this year.

Over 50 Shell to Sea campaigners gathered at the Shell head quarters in Leeson street Dublin Tuesday evening to protest at the jailing of 52 year old Erris fisherman Pat O'Donnell for resisting Shell's experimental gas pipeline. Pat received a seven month sentence which has the added benefit for Shell of taking his boat off of Broadhaven Bay for the period they need to carry out major underwater construction work and repairs. Pat has twice previously been arrested and held without charge when Shell has needed to carry out work in the bay.

Public meetings to be held in Cork and Dublin this week will pose the question of how the legacy of U.S. imperialism has impacted on the catastrophe visited on Haiti in the recent earthquake.

January - February 2010 Edition of the Workers Solidarity freesheet.

PDF of Workers Solidarity 113 Web Edition 2.3 Mb

Trade Unionists betrayed by leadership

Women and children attacked
Climate change – the business connection
Noam Chomsky visits Ireland
Thinking About Anarchism: Anarchism and Human Nature
A People’s Historian - Howard Zinn
That's Capitalism

Although the period in the run up to Christmas is generally a quiet one for political activity, WSM members were busy in their unions organising for the national public sector strike of November 24th last, and there are extensive reports of our members’ experiences that day at http://www.wsm.ie/story/6241. We were also involved in the budget day protests outside the Dáil on December 9th. While the initial battle may have been lost, we realise that the resistance to attacks on working conditions, both in the private and public sectors, and to attacks on public services will be a long one.