Dec 27 2020

THE TRADE UNION BUREAUCRACY AND UNIONISM IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Category: Against Unionism,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How they are organised,Ireland,The crisis on the Left,Trade Unionism,UK state/British imperialism — RCN @ 6:46 pm

This article, originally posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland), highlights the ineffectiveness  of the ICTU Northern Committee and trade union bureaucracy working within the parameters of the existing unionist state when it when it comes to protecting workers’ jobs, pay and condition.

 

THE TRADE UNION BUREAUCRACY AND UNIONISM IN NORTHERN IRELAND

 

UNITE offices in Belfast

 

If the Irish Congress of Trade Unions through its partnership with the state is the creature of imperialism in the South, the same is glaringly apparent in the North.  Historically, no imperialist atrocity was ever great enough for them to go beyond carefully ‘balanced’ statements, or to take any consistent action in defence of oppressed working-class communities.  They stuck strictly to ‘workplace issues’ and their perception of ‘workers interests’ were unfailingly expressed as cries for a peace coupled to imperialist stabilisation and investment.  Now that the impact of imperialist decline in the industrial heartland of the north east reveals that imperialism owes workers nothing their response is one of paralysis.. Continue reading “THE TRADE UNION BUREAUCRACY AND UNIONISM IN NORTHERN IRELAND”

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Dec 09 2020

NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN COUNCIL WORKERS’ STRIKE

Category: For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How they are organised,How we organise,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 5:51 pm

 

 

With employers using Covid-18 to attack workers’ jobs, pay and conditions, there has been the beginnings of a fightback. This article first posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland) looks at the strike action taken by council workers in Newry, Mourne and Down council.

 

NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN COUNCIL WORKERS’ STRIKE

 

workers in Newry, Mourne and Down (NMD) took strike action on Thursday December 3rd, following an overwhelming vote for action by workers in Siptu, UNITE, GMB and Nipsa. The council merger which saw the creation of the super council has been used as an opportunity to attempt to lower pay and undermine conditions. Now, using the pandemic and a notional ‘financial responsibility’ as an excuse, the council management are attempting to press home their planned destruction of pay grading procedures and reduce wages to the lowest parameter of a pay scale which varies across the merged council areas. Refuse workers alone face losses of up to £2,500 per year. As a means of imposing these cuts a previously agreed objective job evaluation process has arbitrarily been dispensed with and a new one with no right of appeal and headed by an individual manager has been introduced. The new system ignores workers’ contracts prior to the council amalgamation and the legal transfer of undertakings regulations. Continue reading “NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN COUNCIL WORKERS’ STRIKE”

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Oct 09 2020

TRADE UNIONISTS RALLY FOR RICHIE VENTON AND EXTEND ACTION

Category: For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 5:35 pm

We are posting this follow-up article to the posting from Mike Picken of Socialist Resistance to the earlier posting from the Reinstate Richie Venton Campaign (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2020/09/06/reinstate-richie-venton/)

 

TRADE UNIONISTS RALLY FOR RICHIE VENTON AND EXTEND ACTION

 

 

Trade unionists across Britain and Ireland are rallying to support Richie Venton following his sacking at IKEA Glasgow.  Mike Picken reports from Glasgow.

A veteran trade union and socialist activist, Richie is the IKEA Glasgow convenor and shop steward for the retail workers union USDAW and a member of the union executive. He was dismissed for opposing IKEA’s plans to withhold sick pay from workers including those following Scottish government policy of self-isolating due to Covid-19 symptoms and infections. Continue reading “TRADE UNIONISTS RALLY FOR RICHIE VENTON AND EXTEND ACTION”

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Sep 06 2020

REINSTATE RICHIE VENTON

Category: For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How we organise,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 11:00 pm

 

REINSTATE RICHIE VENTON

 

This is a campaign page set up by workers furious at the victimisation and sacking of the elected USDAW shop steward and convener in IKEA Glasgow, RICHIE VENTON, and IKEA’s attacks on workers’ rights and conditions, including removal of wages from workers off sick with COVID-19.. Continue reading “REINSTATE RICHIE VENTON”

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Sep 02 2020

REPRESSION IN BELARUS MUST END DEMANDS INDUSTRIALL

Category: Capitalism and Communism,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How they are organised,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Russia and ex-USSR,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 10:36 am

REPRESSION IN BELARUS MUST END DEMANDS INDUSTRIALL

 

 

IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union jointly express their outrage, anger and protest at the disproportionate violence, persecution and arrests directed at people peacefully protesting the results of the presidential elections un Belarus on August 9. Continue reading “REPRESSION IN BELARUS MUST END DEMANDS INDUSTRIALL”

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Jun 11 2020

FANTASY FOOTBALL – THE IRISH LEFT AND FORMING A ‘LEFT GOVERNMENT’

Category: Against Unionism,Elections,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,For Liberation: Struggles against Oppression,How they are organised,Independent class organisations,Ireland,Other Social Struggles,The crisis on the Left,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 10:44 am

This article, originally posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland) looks at the attempts by People before Profit and RISE to form a ‘Left government’ in Ireland with Sinn Fein. 

 

FANTASY FOOTBALL – THE IRISH LEFT AND FORMING A ‘LEFT GOVERNMENT’

 

Time for Unity – with whom and for what?

 

Recently People before Profit reopened talks with Sinn Fein about building an alternative left government in opposition to the attempts by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to construct a parliamentary majority. Continue reading “FANTASY FOOTBALL – THE IRISH LEFT AND FORMING A ‘LEFT GOVERNMENT’”

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Jun 09 2020

FIGHTING COVID19 – FROM A NURSE IN NEW YORK CITY

Category: Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 7:59 pm

This article is about workers on the frontline of the Covid19 pandemic in the USA.  It was written  by Jillian Primiano, a New York City nurse. and was first posted by Left Voice.

 

FROM ONE ESSENTIAL WORKER TO ANOTHER:

DEMANDING SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS COULD SAVE MY LIFE

 

 

The walk-outs, die-ins, and strikes workers are undertaking around the country to fight for better working conditions or closures are one of our best defenses against the outbreak. One New York City nurse speaks out about the importance of these struggles and the combined fight of all essential workers, from healthcare to logistics sectors. Continue reading “FIGHTING COVID19 – FROM A NURSE IN NEW YORK CITY”

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Apr 22 2020

STEVE HEDLEY APPEAL – Finsbury Park branch, RMT

Category: How they are organised,How we organise,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 6:23 pm

Steve Hedley, an officer with the RMT in Britain has used frank and direct speech to describe what the Tory Prime Minister is and what he represents! This has resulted in an attack on him, led by The Sun newspaper, and his suspension by the Union’s executive which caved in to the demands of the Right wing press. As with the fake anti-semitism campaign against Corbyn if the Right makes any gain they will keep coming back for more. We stand in solidarity with Steve Hedley and the rank and file members of the RMT union in their demands for his immediate reinstatement!

 

 

STATEMENT FROM FINSBURY PARK BRANCH OF THE RMT IN SUPPORT OF STEVE HEDLEY  

 

“Finsbury Park branch RMT the biggest traffic branch in London and maybe the whole union have passed this motion unanimously with several officers and senior reps speaking in length in support

This branch notes the recent communication from our General Secretary Mick Cash informing us that the Senior Assistant General Secretary Steve Hedley has been suspended by the union pending a formal investigation following a special meeting of the NEC. This branch notes that the decision to suspend Steve was taken without him being given the opportunity to address the NEC. Continue reading “STEVE HEDLEY APPEAL – Finsbury Park branch, RMT”

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Feb 12 2020

CONCERTED CLASS STRUGGLES IN FRANCE

Category: Capitalism and Communism,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How they are organised,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 11:40 am

This article on the ongoing class struggles in France was first posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland)

 

CONCERTED CLASS STRUGGLES IN FRANCE

 

 

Following months of Yellow Vest protests last year against fuel tax rises during which President Macron had to partially retreat he then switched his attentions to the public sector, launching his long planned pension reforms. These planned cuts are no piecemeal tinkering around the edges. The so called ‘reforms’, ostensibly to make the French pension system more ‘fair’, are in reality designed to squeeze more profit from public sector workers in response to the global capitalist crisis. Continue reading “CONCERTED CLASS STRUGGLES IN FRANCE”

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Dec 19 2019

THE HEALTH WORKERS’ STRIKE, THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS AND STORMONT

Category: For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,How they are organised,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Trade Unionism — RCN @ 10:49 pm

This article about the healthworkers’ strike in Northern Ireland was first posted by Socialist  Democracy (Ireland)

THE HEALTHWORKERS’ STRIKE, THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS AND STORMONT

 

 

Around 25,000 health care workers including nurses, social care staff and support services are taking industrial action to defend a health service which is widely accepted to be on the verge of collapse and to demand an increase in the currently ‘unsafe’ levels of staffing, investment and a long overdue pay increase for hard pushed health workers. To give a taste of the degree of under-investment in local health care, over 94,000 people are waiting more than a year for a specialist’s appointment compared to 3,364 in England with a population around 28 times greater. Continue reading “THE HEALTH WORKERS’ STRIKE, THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS AND STORMONT”

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