The Reds in Nipsa

Friday December 12, 2003 14:18

by White collar worker

The Reds Get out of their beds

Going around yesterdays strike offering solidarity and all that, I came across a union picket outside the CSA in Great Victoria Street in Belfast. Around thirty people where there although the law says only six are allowed. I was there earlier but walked past as the RTE news crew were there, don’t want the folk’s thinking I am a red. Outside the building we had Davy red Carlin on the mike ‘urging’ people not to go in and the few that did go in met each other around the corner and then huddled together as if in fear with eyes to the ground, then crept past, but not before a branch 8 rep had a ‘talk’ with them and handed leaflets. They were eventually joined by firemen and the red Carmel Gates of NIPSA who were there to ‘show solidarity. They talked of how the delivery vans like the post van did not cross their picket at branch 8, Later at the NIPSA rally Carmel red Gates spoke about that solidarity thing again and I was handed a large leaflet called uncivil worker, a paper for ‘rank and file’ civil servants which was handed out by branch 8 union people and was told how 95% of their 1200 branch did not go in. Outside also I got the time for change leaflet that seemed a very cheap leaflet in comparison to the uncivil worker.

So after showing my solidarity to ‘NIPSA’ workers I went home. Watching the news that night there were three speakers from the union side interviewed on either Ulster TV or the BBC prime time. One was the secretary of NIPSA then came a branch 8 and SWP union man and a few moments later another Branch 8 union man . Then today I opened the Ulster Newsletter and it pictured a union woman screaming holding a NIPSA sign and I remembered that she to was on the steps of Branch 8. So I went up then to pick the leading Nationalist paper the Irish news to see what was on offer there. I opened it up and saw a very large picture of about 20 union people including SWP union people. It was of once again branch 8 but with not all of their faces able to fit in, and in the very middle of the picture, the centre of pride, was Socialist worker. I am also listening to the radio at the minute and who is being interviewed, have a guess. Is this a NIPSA members dispute or have the reds eventually got out of their beds.

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Comments (16 of 16)

And...?

by Red - None

Fri Dec 12, 2003 15:31

And your point?? If the SWP were not there at pickets showing support, if SWP members in union branches did nothing- YOU'd be on here saying where are the SWP now? People like you seem Never to be happy what the SWP do! They are damned if the do and damned if they don't!!
Its your right to think so! But it does get a little tedious hearing it- as it would be nice to read about something else. You can't open any story on this damn things without left-bashing or the SWP being dragged in somewhere.

yesterday on the UK IMC newswire an article appeared titled:

by red - (not spoiling the format)

Fri Dec 12, 2003 15:36

the SWP invented the universe and discovered fire
Breaking news, comrades. The SWP have built the biggest, most united and diverse movement in the UK, in Europe, in the world, in the universe, of all time. Period.

great sense of humour on yiz.

This reply was also posted on Indymedia UK...

by red - none

Fri Dec 12, 2003 16:00

Again, as with original comment on NIPSA I don't see the point of the article posted on indymedia UK. Although, the thing posted on indymedia UK had a great reply attached to it as follows...
"You have a choice here. You can stay stuck to the internet reading all sorts of crap until you become a cross eyed sectarian or you can participate in a mass, living movement which disproves all the critics sniping from the sidelines & from which you might learn much...sounds like good advice to me, particularly if you've got nothing better to do than post SWP notes online - get out there, agitate, educate, organise!!!!

Signed,
the movement"

Now thats someone talking sense!! Lets have more of that!

NIPSA members strike

by sp member (personal capacity)

Sat Dec 13, 2003 14:38

The strike on Thursday is part of an ongoing dispute in the NI Civil Service. The dispute runs back to April of this year and is one of the most difficult and nasty in many years. Management have imposed a pay offer, broken off negotiations and attacked trade union rights in the civil Service. The hardened attitude of management is based on orders from the New Labour Government.
The strike day went well, best estimates are that 70 -80% of NIPSA members took part. This should be seen in the context that the mood has been building for some time and this indicates a growing level of support for action. It is also the case that in some areas the leadership have not done the work to organise members who have little previous experiance of strikes.
The next few weeks in the dispute are likly to be critical, NIPSA proposes an over time ban, a work to rule and possibly selective action but this will not be enough to win. The Civil Service Executive is controled by the right wing and is not going to lead this fight unless put under pressure from below.
Dates for further strike days must be set now if the dispute is to be won.

SWP NIPSA leaflet

by E - SWP

Sun Dec 14, 2003 22:02

FYI, here is the link to the leaflet issued by the SWP in the North concerning the civil servant strikes...

call the shots when you hit the top

by ***** *** probably the best *** in the world

Mon Dec 15, 2003 00:42

Jealous of the gorgeous Carmel gates and company, just cos youse could never rise to the top ranks of a trade union. Hence the deliberate slander/lies about reds in the bed. Carmel Gates is far from red, just an ordinary socialist worker with the best interests of other workers at heart.

Carmel Gates not in SWP

by SP member

Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:14

Carmel Gates, the President of NIPSA, is in the Socialist Party- not the SWP.

Carmel Gates In SP?

by Observor

Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:25

I thought she had become disenchanted with the SP and left it. Just like Dermot Connolly finally saw the light after he was sacked as General Secrtetary of the SP.

Has Dermot Connolly actually joined the SWP?

Which is it?

by observed observor

Mon Dec 15, 2003 15:00

Either the sp is an evil authorian party which follows its leaders to the end or its a nasty conspiricy that "fires" its poor innocent leader.
You've got a split personality observor.

That Doesnt Answer The Question

Mon Dec 15, 2003 15:33

It just shows that you are a not very bright party hack. Now, has Carmel Gates left the Sp and has Dermot Connolly left the SP?
Have either of them joined the SWP?

Now why not just answer that instead of spinning?

What on earth is this all about?

by spectator

Mon Dec 15, 2003 16:19

What on earth is this all about? Just to put matters straight, Carmel Gates is President of NIPSA and an SP member, Dermot Connolly has resigned from the SP, has not joined the SWP and has no intention of so doing.

Whats It All About

Mon Dec 15, 2003 16:33

"Dermot Connolly has resigned from the SP, has not joined the SWP and has no intention of so doing."

How do you know Dermot isnt going to join the SWP? Has he made a public statement to this effect? Why did he leave the SP/CWI after 30 years?

Another addition to Throne, Tourish , Mullholland, Geaney, Webster, Prendeville, Smyth. Another non person. Soon the SP will be abusing Dermot.

Observer

by Spectator

Mon Dec 15, 2003 16:52

I know Dermot isn't going to join the SWP because he told me so.

He left the SP becuase he didn't agree with the direction in which the party was going. He favours the building of a new, left party. If you are genuinely interested in all the details, you should ask him yourself.

Spectator

Mon Dec 15, 2003 17:15

But I thought the SP also stood for the building of a new mass workers party. Why are you getting so snippy? I am based outside of Dublin so I'm not likely to run into Dermot that often.

Funny that!

by Observing Spectators

Mon Dec 15, 2003 17:24

"But I thought the SP also stood for the building of a new mass workers party."

No, I'll think you will find that they actually sit down for that one. Think Scotland.

Mon Dec 15, 2003 17:50

I didn't mean to be snippy ,Observer. It's just that the best person to explain why he left the SP is Dermot himself, so asking him directly would answer your question better than others on indymedia could.

very briefly, on the issue of the new mass workers' party: The official position of the SP is that it is in favour of building such a party. This party would be a left alternative to the labour party and would be broader than the current small left groups such as the SP and SWP. The SP claims that the time is not yet right to launch such a party and that the irish left, as it is at present, cannot wish such a party into existence. The SP argue that a new party will only be viable on the back of a whole range of workplace and community campaigns that give rise to a new layer of left activists. Critics of the SP position argue that there should be a move towards setting up a new party now and that reluctance on the part of the SP to do this derives from distrust of the SWP and fears that they could not hold their own party together in a broader formation.

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The Reds in Nipsa

Comments (16 of 16)