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Exploitation and Displacement

Call for National Day of Protest

Date Released: 25 Nov 2005

The Union's General President, Jack O'Connor, is to call on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Executive to hold a national day of protest,in support of embattled Irish Ferries workers. He will make the call at the ICTU Executive Council meeting later this morning.

He said the dispute represented a defining moment for workers, employers, the Government and every citizen about the type of society in which they wished to live; one based on decency and fair play, or one based on thuggery, exploitation and the law of the jungle.

"The Irish Ferries dispute is a defining moment in the relations between employers and workers in this country. It is a moment which challenges everyone, on all sides, to declare on the side of decency, social dialogue and constructive engagement, or on the side of thuggery, brutality and the law of the jungle.

"At moments such as this it is not enough for those who are entrusted with public responsibility to utter comforting words and do nothing else. To use an old adage, 'All that is required for evil to prosper is for people of good will to stand back and do nothing'.

"In a moment such as this you are on one side or the other. Indeed I am aware that a great number of employers are repelled by the scenes that are unfolding.

"As SIPTU has consistently stated throughout, the future of social partnership comes down to the question as to whether the Government is prepared to take the necessary measures to address job displacement, exploitation and the protection of employment standards. Whereas we have said that its future will not be decided by one dispute, it is difficult to see how it can survive if the Government cannot bring itself to address these issues in this high profile situation.

"At today's meeting of the Executive Council of ICTU we intend to move a motion asking Congress to intensify its campaign of support for Irish Ferries workers and its call for measures to address these issues of job displacement, exploitation and protection of employment standards. We will be calling for a national day of protest on Friday, December 2, with a march from Parnell Square, Dublin, to Government Buildings to highlight these demands; inviting not only trade unionists but citizens from all walks of life to participate," he concluded.



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