ICTU: Industrial Earnings Fall For First Time Since 1980s

by k keating Tue Apr 11, 2006 16:53

This is the purest nonsense which falsely locates the losses that have occurred to workers as being related to displacement. It is dangerous nonsense with a racist dynamic. Jack O' Connor wrote in an article Irish Times (2nd April 2002) ''Capital's share of national income has risen from 38 per cent in 1992 to 50.7 per cent in 2001, reversing only slightly, to 50.2 per cent this year.'' ..........The words of Jack O' Connor quoted above is from an article called ''Advantages of partnership speak for themselves'' which he wrote in response to IBEC's hard-line stance on a new deal last time they were negotiating partnership. Similar statistics can be found at other sources. What they reveal is that there was a profound shift of wealth away from workers and the poorer sections of society during Celtic tiger, the greatest boom in the history of this state.

A defeat of the working class of historic proportions occurred under the regime of class collaboration that is social partnership. According to Jack O’ Connor’s statistics capital increased its share of wealth creation by one third. Quoting wage statistics completely obscures the outcome of the treacherous role played by the trade union bosses in partnership. The losses to workers were mostly in non wage social benefits (the social wage) the area in which social partnership was supposed to give union bureaucrats greater influence.
The greatly increased rate of exploitation, the poorer quality of life and the terrible stress endured by workers cannot be foisted on to foreign workers who have only recently arrived in significant numbers. Undoubtly these workers are now being used to force an even greater defeat on to the workers movement, an outcome which is still dependant on the ability of the trade union bureaucracy to continue its policy of class collaboration.

Jack O' Connor and SIPTU’s position on partnership (which we can assume was the negotiation position of the unions collectively, as their was no dissent) shows an identification with the boss’s interests which is total. Calling the subsequent agreement Maintaining Progress reveals a deep contempt for workers rooted in the fact that their collaborationist role is almost entirely unchallenged. It is clear that that it would be quite in their character to offload the blame for the extremely defensive position workers find themselves in now, on displacement and the presence of super exploited foreign workers rather than see it placed where it belongs, on their overpaid shoulders.
Almost two decades of partnership has seen the unions transformed from basic defence organisations of the working class into conduits of the boss’s offensive. The savage nature of which is camouflaged and mystified under the guise of partnership.

by Gaz B -(A)- Tue Apr 11, 2006 21:03

"ICTU: Industrial Earnings Fall For First Time Since 1980s
that should read, "ICTU partially responsible for Industrial Earnings Fall For First Time Since 1980s"

by Joe C Tue Apr 11, 2006 21:38

ICTU's Mr Sweeney appears to be in favour of immigration in 'general' but not in Ireland right now because of poor labour regulation. Even if this were a valid view it raises the question why this is so after nearly two decades of social partnership.

Of course the answer is that we have poor labour regulation because of social partnership.

This has led firstly to a fall in workers wages in relative terms and now in real terms. The latter has followed from the same forces that created the former and the main reason is the trade unions signing up to a policy of partnership with the bosses that puts their needs before those of workers.

Now, because ICTU can't point to their role in the decline in wages. And they can't even point to the decline in manufacturing employment as jobs head to lower wage countries(because they support multinationals freedom to go wherever they can to make the most money) we have them raising up the scapegoat of migrant workers. We have Rabitte's racist comments and their backing by Jack O'Connor.

These figures are not a condemnation of migrant workers but of social partnership. They show that marraige to the bosses means divorce from other workers. They show that fighting social partnership and fighting growing racism is part of one struggle for workers unity. We can't pretend that those in favour of partnership can join us in any fight against racism.