Irish Ferries: the last straw for social partnership

national | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Sunday October 23, 2005 20:34 by TUAF - Trade Union Activists Forum

Leaflet for SIPTU and ICTU Conferences.

The Trade Union Activists Forum have prepared a leaflet for the SIPTU and ICTU Conferences, tomorrow and Tuesday, which will decide whether to enter talks for a new Social Partnership agreement.

Irish Ferries
The Last Straw for Social Partnership!

Trade union activists have been rightly shocked at the bid by Irish Ferries to effectively sack its workers and replace them with cheap outsourced labour. This “race to the bottom” cannot be stopped by social partnership. Social partnership is based on the idea that we are all in the same boat and that national competitiveness must come before all else. What’s happening in Irish Ferries is enshrined in the proposed EU Directive on services which the Irish government supports. IBEC have openly sided with Irish Ferries. Outsourcing is being sought in the public sector (Shannon, TCD) and is expressly agreed to for the public service in Sustaining Progress (Clause 21.9)!

An Post would be the last straw in itself. Major rationalisation is being demanded for the already agreed rises and Minister Dempsey is threatening to allow for private postal operators to effectively strike break. Our guarantors against “the race to the bottom”?!! Social Partnership has long been a sham:

· The biggest benefits have gone to employers. There are no restraints on profits only wages.

· The boom has been squandered as workers see the near collapse of social and health services on which they depend. Our demands for properly funded health, education and childcare have not been met.

· Jobs growth has been in non-unionised sectors and the level of membership has fallen to frighteningly low levels as our partners resist statutory union recognition.

· The power of unions on the job has been undermined by compulsory arbitration and no strike clauses.

· Individual unions lost control over members’ conditions as each new agreement includes more wide ranging proposals for work practice change and “modernisation”.

The Irish Ferries case has allowed many union activists to vent their anger against social partnership. The one sure way to stop Irish Ferries is by determined action including solidarity action. But this is prohibited by the Industrial Relations Act, another child of social partnership.

Weasel words from Bertie saying it can all be discussed as part of the new agreement should not be accepted. It’s time for change. We want to see the unions fight for the members’ interests and break from the con that is social partnership. We want a return to independent, fighting and democratic unions. We, the Trade Union Activists Forum, are activists from a range of unions who say we need to organise for real change now. If you agree contact us and come to our meeting on November 5th.

Trade Union Activists Forum
Activists Meeting: Organising Against A New Partnership Deal
Sat 5th November 2.00pm ATGWU Hall, Mid Abbey St. Dublin

All out to support the SIPTU Irish Ferries march:
1.30 p.m. Thursday 3rd November, Liberty Hall, Dublin.