Opening today’s GUE/NGL group conference on the liberalisation of postal services, Irish MEP Joe Higgins said citizens were being hit hard by the Commission’s ongoing drive to privatise Europe’s postal services. “This relentless process of liberalisation totally ignores the impact on workers and customers as well as the social functions of public postal services. The [...]
GUE/NGL Press Release – Relentless EU dismantling of postal services will hit both workers and customers
On March - 5 - 2010
Greek workers’ resistance to attacks is an example to be followed in Ireland
On March - 5 - 2010
It is a privilege to be invited to join other public representatives from the European revolutionary left this weekend to address Greek workers and activists at forums in Athens and Salonika. I will bring the experience of Irish working people into the forums that I will be addressing and which I expect are fundamentally similar [...]
Workers must resist attempts to increase retirement age
On March - 4 - 2010
There is a growing clamour to force upwards the retirement age for workers. Today the Government is scheduled to publish new proposals for future pension arrangements in Ireland. Minister for Social and Family Affairs Hanafin has already hinted that the age at which people first receive the State pension should be raised. Bank of Ireland [...]
Escalation of Public Service industrial action is long overdue
On February - 24 - 2010
The promise last night by SIPTU President Jack O’Connor of an escalation of public service industrial action will get a positive echo from many workers who saw their wages slashed by over 15% last year between levies and the budget cuts. I said last month that the work to rule was an inadequate response to [...]
State must launch a successor to Team Aer Lingus
On February - 18 - 2010
It is extraordinary how the media is a willing tool in acting as a bullhorn for Ryananir’s Michael O’Leary in the controversy over his demand to be handed over Hangar 6 at Dublin Airport in order to provide 300 aircraft maintenance jobs. The massive publicity given to Ryanair’s dictat that it must have absolute control over [...]
Hands off the minimum wage
On February - 3 - 2010
Minister Dara Calleary, together with the representatives of the bosses, are now more and more vocally pushing to reduce the minimum wage and tear up Registered Employment Agreements in particular sectors. This is a disgrace and must be fought. Mark Fielding, Chief Executive of ISME, spelt it out for low paid workers when he admitted [...]
Mortgage holders need far more than “solutions” being offered up by Green Party
On February - 3 - 2010
The Green Party is reported to be discussing with Fianna Fáil measures that will prevent householders in mortgage arrears arising from hardships such as job losses. In reality their proposals are far too little. Householders need radical reductions of the principal on their mortgages. The Greens are talk about measures like re-scheduling of debts and [...]
