electricians victory
national |
worker & community struggles and protests |
news report 
Wednesday June 09, 2004 13:57
by john throne - labors militant voice
loughfinn at aol dot com
It is my understanding that the electricians have won all of their claim.
Some weeks ago I put a piece on indymedia about the electricians voting 95% to take action on their claim for better pay and against the threat of attacks from the employers. Since that time it is my understanding that the electricians have won all of their claim. That the bosses have been forced to back down. They have been defeated. This is a victory for all workers and opens the door to the possibility of a more generalized offensive for all working people.
But I have a couple of questions. Why is there not more recognition of this victory. All the anti capitalist groups that use indymedia seem to be either unaware of this victory or see it as having no relevance. What about the worker activists groups and activists, why is this victory not being made public knowledge and used to lay the basis for a more generalised discussion and organizing drive against the bosses. In the case of the anti capitalist groups are we seeing that there is not an orientation to the working class? In the case of the workers activist groups are we seeing that these are too much based in their own specific areas rather than having an over all view.
I would be interested in a discussion on this. Whatever the reasons, when a group of workers, votes 95% to strike, forces the bosses to concede all their claim and this is not a central topic of discussion and the basis for increasing the struggle against the bosses, then there is something wrong. I hope we can have a discussion on this. John Throne.
Comments (8 of 8)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Which union? Which previous piece? You know about it. Write about it. If you wait for "the other anti-capitalist" groups to do anything then you'll just be waiting.
In response to the comments. I have already written on the electricians action and vote on indymedia.ie See this item plus a number of comments on Wednesday May 26th. 2004 at 2.09. I believe the points I have made above remain relevant. And I would ask this commentator to give his or her views. John Throne.
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=65229
For the benefit of the innocent (or ignorant) smart ass who cannot spell ELECTRICIAN the victory referred to by John Throne is the success of the TEEU ( Technical Engineering & Electrical Union) who as a result of the issuing of notice for a national strike of its contracting electricians, supported by an active site campaign of the Dublin No. 8 Branch committee and shop-stewards succeeded in forcing the contracting employers associations to withdraw from a serious attempt to impose a wage freeze and impose ammendments to the national agreement which would have worsened conditions for electricians and apprentices.
The employers efforts collapsed six days before the strike date of 10 June with a concession of a 34.71 euro per week increase backdated to 1st April plus a one-off
payment of 1% of last years wages.
As many construction, mechanical, and public employments relate their wages to this agreement a defeat would have huge consequences for thousands of workers and their families.
Is this a victory---YES!
P.S. There is only one union representing electricians in the republic... the TEEU,
and it even has its own website.. check it out!
But don't be so quick to label our contributor a smartass. There has been no coverage of this victory anywhere else in the media. Since most people probably don't know much about the inner-workings of the TEEU, it's hardly surprising that somebody asks for more details. It's an important challenge for trade unionists to let other people know about their victories. Next time, why not post an account yourself to Indymedia, you know the corporate media aren't going to let people know about it.
Under the present socio-political climate the corporate media will never report a story like this or at least not in the detail it deserves - it might get two lines buried somewhere in the middle of a page full of tit and bum or footbal "news", maybe something to the effect that "the dispute has been resolved".
They don't want the workers to realise that by COMBINING their strength they can force the bosses to their knees ....
Jimmy don't be surpised that people are so innocent and/or ignorant .... the last few decades of mass media dumbing down have done their job ....
The only way to counter it given the iron grip of the corporate media on the dissemination of "news" is for people like you who have the "inside information" to use channels like indymedia to try and get it out to a broader public ...
Here's a link to the website Jimmy referred to with the details of the agreement ....
On re-reading the comments of the contributors on this thread I realise that I was too sharp in my response and apologise to the writers and acknowledge the validity of the reality of the lack of circulation of news of our successful fightback, its not that the media were not advised.
I would however ask contributers to sign their own names as the instinct is to take anonymous scribes less seriously, but should any one want more information or background on the dispute I will try to respond either on the list or by above email address . I thank John Throne for his contributions in publicising the issue.
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