TUI Branch Calls For The Resignation of David Begg

by Bill Thompson Sat Mar 28, 2009 21:28

Here's professor Richard Wolfe who makes the case that the lowering of wages in the U.S. by the employer class caused the crisis.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=richard%20w...b=wv#

by Con Lehane Sat Mar 28, 2009 01:22

The political wing of the propertied sector, the government, is conducting a war against the working class. Lenihan has recruited Alan Ahearne, a protege of Alan Greenspan, to wage this class warfare.

-Dr Ahearne had been advising “some of the most rabidly anti-union employers in the country in sectors such as construction and electrical contracting on how to squeeze more out of their workers.-
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0315/...9.htm

Its time for working people to wake up and fight back. Begg's concession on the pension levy has been taken by the ruling elite as a sign of weakness.
Another right-winger, Trinity College economist, Brian Lucey, addressing a Labour Party conference called on the government to become "vicious" in the forthcoming budget.
Any more 'concessions' by union bureaucrats is an invitation to the propertied elite to kick the working class in the face. Enough is enough. Fight back!

by Diarmuid - None Thu Mar 26, 2009 16:51

Whatever about the interpretations of leading activists' statements, it is clear that either the ICTU either does not have the stomach for a fight with the employers and government or has no confidence that it can win.

But is it satisfactory for us to grumble and sulk about them, or to snipe and run? How did they get there and how do they maintain their positions? Where is the credible opposition? From what I've seen in recent years we've failed to build a non-sectarian organisation around which ordinary trade union activists (or wannabe activists) and non-aligned socialists can gather and begin a serious and sustained resistance to the attacks on our class. Until we have such an organisation they have the stage and will push undermining slogans (like "spread the pain fairly") or lead us up the hill and back down again without a fight.

PS: It was at least heartening to see the CPSU pickets out in force around Dublin city centre today.

by pat c Thu Mar 26, 2009 15:44

Nowhere in the above statement is there any support for social partnership. If you really are an ordinary trade unionist then I cannot understand why you are setting out to divide public and private sector workers.

The following was adopted by the meeting on 14 February at which the NPSA was founded:

Unconditional and complete withdrawal of the "Levy"

A sustained campaign beginning with a one day national stoppage by all public servants until the "levy" is withdrawn

The establishment of a national pension protection fund to pay private sector workers the pensions to which they have contributed

This was not adopted by Paddy Healy, it was adopted by the public sector workers at the meeting.

What you are doing at present is derailing a thread which is criticising the ICTU misleaders, if you are genuine in your complaints then contact the NPSA at scrapthelevy@gmail.com

by Ordinary trade union member Thu Mar 26, 2009 15:19

I am not a hack or a rep for anyone. I am pointing out a legitimate criticism. You yoursefl Pat C have just posted a quotation from Paddy H: "New talks with the Government and IBEC should only take place in the context of the withdrawal of the public service levy and the renewed commitment of all public sector and private sector employers to adherence to the national pay agreement. For ICTU to indulge in talks on any other basis would be a capitulation to unilateral breaches of agreements and an encouragement to recalcitrant employers such as the Construction Industry Federation."

This is what I was talking about. He said that talks should only take place if the government withdraws the pension levy and pays the national wage agreement. I and many others would say there should be no talks with the government and the employers to discuss a new partnership deal or national recovery programme, no matter what the circumstances are, the unions should be fighting the government and the employers not sitting down with them helping them to screw working class people.

The members of the NPSA who you have listed should not allow these type of statements to pass by without criticism. Most of the people you mentioned are opposed to social partnership deals and that should be made clear. This is not the first time this has happened, Paddy H said something similar when he was chairing the first meeting of the NPSA and people from the floor argued against him.

by pat c Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:16

The NPSA is not just Paddy Healy as some personalised attacks would seem to suggest. Here is a list of NPSA committee members:

Committee: Kevin Keating (Dublin Corporation UNITE), Bernard Lynch (ASTI), Terry Kelleher (CPSU), Kieran Allen (President Education Branch SIPTU), Christy Maginn ASTI, John Kidd (Fire Brigade Convenor SIPTU), Marie Humphries (TUI), Eva Ndaba(IMPACT), Gregor Kerr (INTO), Joe Duffy (INTO), Eddie Conlon(TUI), Denis Keane (CPSU), Jo Tully (Irish Nurses Organisation), Ronan Leyden (UNITE)

by pat c Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:57

There are those who are trying divide the trade union movement, to split public and private sector union members. This is not somrthing any ordinary union member would do. It is however what you would expect from an ICTU hack or IBEC employee.

Here is what Paddy Healy wrote on 12 February:

New talks with the Government and IBEC should only take place in the context of the withdrawal of the public service levy and the renewed commitment of all public sector and private sector employers to adherence to the national pay agreement. For ICTU to indulge in talks on any other basis would be a capitulation to unilateral breaches of agreements and an encouragement to recalcitrant employers such as the Construction Industry Federation.The meeting will be addressed by a representative of the Waterford GlassWorkers. The necessity for the government to bail out workers in the private sector whose pensions have been devastated will be emphasised.

by Michael Gallagher Wed Mar 25, 2009 16:23

This motion should be adopted by all trade unions that feel let down by the current failures in ICTU.......and I would add all the failures names to the list, including the lackeys lackeys.

There's only so much we can take......one more small step forward for workers...and ICTU takes one GIANT step backwards.

It's time to get value for money.

Are we going to march behind these merchants come next May Day?

by Jolly Red Giant - Scoialist Party / CWI Wed Mar 25, 2009 16:09

I am a member of the TUI - I earn substantially less than half the figure you quoted and I have absolutely no job security.

by slave Wed Mar 25, 2009 15:55

Workers?

The average pay of TUI members is almost €75,000 plus pension plus job-security.

What's their problem anyway, do they wantt us to provide them with servants too?

by Blacbloc Wed Mar 25, 2009 15:53

David Begg was recently described as a 'responsible trade unionist' by Turlough O' Sullivan, recently of IBEC and involved in the pension levy frame-up. By that alone everyone would know that Begg is an abject failure.

by Biker Wed Mar 25, 2009 15:50

Well done to the TUI people. The unions now risk further alienating ordinary workers with their failure to represent them in any meaningful way. They are afraid of confrontation with the government in case they lose their personal prestige and place at the table for state banquets and hob-nobbing with the likes of Turlogh O'Sullivan and the others.

Brian Cowen is repeating the old mantra "labour must wait". Well this time labour (and I mean workers, not the party that bears the name labour) won't wait any more. We are on our knees, let us rise!

by Tagger Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:13

The Dublin City Post Primary branch of the Teachers Union of Ireland has called for the resignation of David Begg and has passed a motion of no confidence in the ICTU Executive Council.

And not before time, Begg is a lackey of the Government, their mouthpiece among the workers who could not care less about the workers.

Send him back to his Multinational friends.

Well done TUI.

by Ordinary union member Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:02

I am confused by this statement. The National Public Service Alliance is sending out mixed messages. Paddy Healy said in the last few days that the 30th March strike shouldn't be called off unless they get rid of the pension levy. But what about workers in the private sector who are having their pay cut or put on a shorter working week, or losing their jobs. The strike should go ahead to fight on these issues and the cutbacks and what is going to happen in the budget. What about the impact of the recession and the tax increases on low paid civil servants.
The NPSA also said a few weeks ago that the unions should not go back into new talks unless the pension levy was scrapped. I don't think the unions should be in talks at all they should be fighting to defend jobs and stop the cuts in our pay and hours. If all the NPSA is interested in is getting rid of the pension levy for civil servants and if its main spokesperson supports talks with the employers and the government that will be about how to make us pay for the recession then I am not impressed.