|
Introduction
Once
again we come to the close of another year, a year
that has seen my comrades in Belfast and beyond step
up a gear with our initiation of and participation
in various campaigns and movements that had brought
together many differing organisations on issues of
commonality. This time also at the close of last year
we had seen the Falls and Shankill march and the first
Belfast march of the Anti-War Movement to protest against
the upcoming war in Iraq. On both of these issues
the SWP had prepared and organised the ground work
(on the Blanket previously) which saw Catholic
and Protestant workers marching together, some eventually
in their tens of thousands. So, in doing so, we had
sought to reach out for that commonality of purpose.
Yet for oneself I am as inspired by those small actions
in struggle that often go unreported to a wider audience.
As an Internationalist I search also and read of those
daily and localised struggles of peoples around this
world who seek also a better world for all. And reading
of and learning from their struggles both gives one
knowledge and that continual inspiration. So again
as this year comes to an end I will outline the issues
over the last few weeks that we as activists in Belfast
have been involved in. We have heard and still hear
so often of the division within our society that it
seems hard at times to find a showing of the unity
that has been forged. But that unity is again beginning
in small ways to raise its head within and amongst
many avenues and on many issues and in doing so we
are playing our part. Finally I write often of the
Belfast SWP, simply as this is where I would have
the most detailed and hands-on knowledge of our activities
and how we seek to organise and to reach out to others
for that unity. But the Belfast SWP (district) is
part of an organisation with many branches around
Ireland which is part of an International tendency.
A
few weeks for the Belfast SWP (Diary)
It
was a cold day as I got the Black hack (taxi) to go
down the Falls Road from the top of the Rock (Whiterock
Road junction – with Ballymurphy on one side,
Turf Lodge on the other and facing New Barnsley).
It was the Saturday before the November 26th 2003
assembly elections and I was going up to provide solidarity
for my comrade Eamon McCann who was one of the candidates
standing for the Socialist Environmental Alliance
(SEA) in the forthcoming elections. McCann, known
by many for his involvement in the civil rights movement
and also as a respected journalist, is one of the
most inspirational socialists that I have met in my
short time as a political activist. So it was a matter
for me as with others that we wanted to go and offer
that solidarity not only to Eamon but also more importantly
to the SEA and its platform. Incidentally the last
time Eamon had stood in elections was 1970. So arriving
at the Belfast City Hall, Barbara, Ryan and Tom were
already waiting in the car. Ryan was in the back engrossed
probably in volume three or other of some selected
writings with Barbara and Tom in the front. ‘Is
that the Irish News Davy? Let's have a juke (look)
at it’, Barbara asked. Looking then at the comrades
in the car we together have already been through much
together (each of us having been activists for several
years). Even in each of their very earliest days I
hold memories of them to the fore in local and international
struggles, For a brief moment as I looked into the
car I remembered that Ryan had lain down in front of
Israeli tanks in Palestine several years ago to prevent
the possible oncoming slaughter of Palestinians. I
remembered Barbara linked to my arm as guards dragged
us out at the end of our several daylong occupation
against student fees in our very early days at Queens
University. Where we were then unceremoniously dumped
in the mud, which was already filling up with chunks
of hair from those young women comrades who were also
being dragged out by the hair. As for Tom, and as
Dan approached, again I thought of those relatively
recent past days, may it have been our numerous initiated
occupations of multinational corporations, the road
sit down protests, the US Consul occupations or whatever
else around Belfast, they also had always been to
the fore and had stood firm in our actions, home or
internationally. Such brief memories of firm activism
brought a passing smile to one's face and I thought
although how relatively young we were in politics
how much in fact we each, and collectively held old
and politically experienced heads. Others had now
arrived. ‘Right are we ready, lets get the show
on the road.’ So with that we set off in several
cars for Derry.
On
arrival in Derry we saw McCann going around in a car
with loud hailers on either side letting the public
know as to why they should be voting for a socialist
as opposed to the green – orange politics of
Nationalism/Unionism. With that, we then collected
our leaflets, posters and campaign material from election
HQ and made our way onto the streets of Derry. On
arrival to the various housing estates the heavens
opened and I mean it absolutely poured down. Although
it was cold when we left Belfast it did not look as
if it would rain. So although we eventually ended
up soaked through, it did not however dampen our spirits.
So while several comrades went down each side of every
street knocking at doors and putting through election
material others would take turns walkingdown the middle of the
street with a loud hailer again letting people know as to why
it was important to vote for a socialist. The response we got was brilliant with many stating that they would vote for the SEA.
Drenched to the skin but contented we headed for a
well-earned hot cuppa. When the results came in, McCann,
as a socialist standing on a socialist platform and
but using that electoral platform to put forward that
socialist agenda polled over 2250 first preference
votes, over 5.5% of the vote in that constituency
for Northern elections, which was a very positive
poll and the largest received by a socialist in many
many years.
Then
we had the Campaign against Selection (CAS) that held
a public debate very recently in St Louise’s
Comprehensive Girls School on the Falls Road. My colleagues
who are teachers initiated, worked and do work with
many others in this Campaign. CAS was launched at
St Louise’s School several years ago and continues
still to be by far the lead campaigning voice within
the North of Ireland on this manner. Set up in opposition
to the 11plus and academic selection (which discriminates
against working class children and is in effect educational
apartheid – my previous article on the Blanket
‘Speech at the PUP Conference 2002’, goes
into this issue also) it has been the campaign to
the very forefront over recent years that has rigorously
fought to end this unjust system. It has held rallies
and mobilised Catholics and Protestants in and through
Belfast, on demonstrations, marches and pickets etc,
which have been supported both by many leading trade
unionists and by many different national trade union
banners at the various CAS events. They have held
public meetings and have and are presently and regularly
at the forefront of all the ongoing debates on Television,
radio and within all the leading Northern Irish press,
constantly putting forward their belief in ending educational
discrimination. The recent debate organised by my
colleague as organisational secretary of the campaign
had E McCann debating Sir Kenneth Bloomfield (former
head of the N. Ireland civil service) and was attended
by over four hundred students.
This
moves me then conveniently on to another matter in
relation to the N. Ireland Civil Service (NICS). As
like other of my comrades as a member of NIPSA (Northern
Ireland Public Service Alliance – the largest
trade union in the North) and some of us like myself
also being in Branch 8 (the largest Branch in the
civil service, which the NIPSA general secretary referred
to recently at a public meeting as the most ‘infamous’
branch in the N. Ireland civil service and within
NIPSA – before the recent actions.). So on Friday
28th November after a long drawn out dispute over
pay the N. Ireland Civil Service management ‘imposed’
in effect a 0% ‘pay rise’ in real terms,
upon civil servants (while themselves earning many
scores of thousands and getting many many thousands
again in a pay ‘settlement’). One has to
be aware that the civil service (in relation to job
security, class make up and opportunity etc) is not
what it once was. I know of married persons who have
worked almost a dozen years in the NICS and take home
less than £200 pound a week. Many working class
men and women who work there also qualify for and
are on state benefits, such is the poverty level of
pay.
I
note that the Labour movement in Ireland's history
has had varied responses. We have seen strong individual
and historical leaders within trade unionism as we
have seen strong unions. Yet trade unionism is as
much about the collective strength of a workforce
as it is as about giving a solid lead as a representative
to that workforce and to one's membership. It was
when NICS management treated its workforce with contempt
that solid lead needed to be given, and it was given
from the workers, the rank and file on the shop floor.
I believe that when your trade union leadership gives
positive lead one should support them whole heartedly,
yet when they are slow to move then it is the rank
and file that should move and in doing so shake them
into activity. If not, then independent action may
need to continue (independent in the sense of mass
collective rank and file worker action from below
as opposed to trade union leadership bureaucracy inactions
from above). So on the news that the ‘deal’
was to be imposed rank and file activists within Branch
8 NIPSA drew up placards and began marching around
the floors of our thirteen story building in Belfast,
with placards reading 'end poverty pay - all out.'
And with that workers joined in behind and marched
outside in their hundreds onto the streets of Belfast
on ‘unofficial’ walkouts.
As the news spread around, other workers starting
walking out of their offices all around Belfast with
many marching upon Branch 8 to stand firm with their
colleagues. With comrades now standing upon the steps
of our workplace making addresses to the workers other
workers looked down out of the windows of surrounding
buildings shouting out ‘we are on our way down’;
and down they came. As the news spread others started
walking out as far away as Derry. Such was its impact
and the inspiring spontaneous mobilisation of workers
that the N. Ireland minister stated that ‘the
actions of workers at branch 8 were deplorable’.
Yet I tell you what was and is deplorable Mr minister
- the imposing of a 0% deal in real terms and the
keeping of workers on poverty wages. So with that
the rank and file workers, Catholic and Protestant
in their many many hundreds strong, took the lead,
immediately downed tools when the ‘deal’
was imposed, and walked out, clapped as other workers
marched towards them in solidarity and with that together
stood firm and united on that day. Thus in doing so
taking to the streets of Belfast and beyond, in solidarity
and against poverty wages. This active and visual
action led the way in showing both how much workers
are sickened by the way they are being treated by
management and provided a small example of the real
power held by the workers as the businesses came to
a virtual standstill. These workers therefore took
that lead, stood firm against low pay and excuse the
pun, walked the walk. As one worker and recently new
union representative, recently interviewed and newly
inspired, has stated (who had never been in such actions).
I
have seen trade union activists in different trade
unions during my time as a NIPSA member (8-9 years)
and before, looking time and again to trade union
election after election to try and bring change. Or
looking to provide activist based leadership and involvement
(from on top), but unfortunately providing just the
very occasional sign of either. I believe that those
unofficial walkouts were probably the largest and
most feel-good immediate reaction responses against
low pay that has been initiated, responded to, and
more importantly led by ordinary union members, that
NIPSA has seen in God knows how many years and, most
probably, has ever seen.'
Such
action gives workers a sense of collective power and
solidarity but as importantly in this case it showed
how much they felt about the dismal way that they
have been treated and are under valued.
That
evening it was now the Belfast Anti War Movement’s
(BAWM) – (Anti War Movement and Stop The War
Coalition’s origins and development can be found
on the Blanket) turn to stand firm against
the arrival of the British commander of the Iraq war,
Colonel Tim Collins, who was coming to Queens University.
Joined by some of the workers that had lead the walkouts
that day we met at Queens. Our protest was loud and
lively as one Northern Irish daily put it ‘the
protesters stormed across the off bound green and
were held back by security staff with police at security
barriers.’ We had also handed out literature
to many of those attending the function, for some
were not aware of Tim Collin’s role in the Iraq
war. Our point had been made and our presence felt
with the BAWM now preparing to march and rally in
Belfast in the time ahead against the ongoing occupation
of Iraq.
Then
on the 10th Dec the recently formed Anti Racism Network
(ARN) called a vigil at the front of the Belfast City
Hall. The ARN established to take a visual and practical
stand against both the rise in racial attacks and
racism. (The ARN’s initiation and beginning can
be found on the Blanket and its development shall
be penned similar to the Anti War Movement Part one
and two in the months ahead for the Blanket).
The ARN vigil on Dec 10th (International Human Rights
Day) despite only recently established was the largest
and most representative such event on that day around
the North of Ireland. Around twenty five representative
organisations participated including all the main
minority ethnic organisations, The Northern Ireland
Chinese Welfare Association, the Belfast Islamic Centre,
The Belfast Travellers Association, The African Centre,
the Indian Centre etc as well as minority support
groups. Human rights organisations attended, as did
trade union organisers, leading politicians, leading
community representatives, anti-war and anti-capitalist
activists, peace and students groups etc. Such a representative
group to take a stand against racism has not been
seen in well over a decade in the North. As the far
right groups from Britain again voice that they may
actively organise here we need to ensure that if they
do that they will not only be condemned by wider society
as recent attacks have, but they would need to be
actively opposed within it. The ARN seeks to engage
with working class communities, their organisations,
trade unions and others to collectively attempt to
halt such attacks
The
next day was the ‘official’ strike action
by NIPSA against the imposed pay 'increase’.
So with that I arrived at my branch (branch 8) around
7.15am to see some comrades from the branch committee
already there. With our loud hailer I took to the
mike and made our points to passing workers while
providing leaflets for anyone who had turned up to
cross our picket line. Out of a building of around
1200 about 95% held solid behind the picket line and
did not turn up for work. Postal vans and other delivery
vans refused also to pass our picket. We were also
joined for a time by leading colleagues from the fire-fighters
union, the Executive as well as the NIPSA president
and their solidarity was much appreciated as it was
to the many workers from other unions who also came
along through the day and stood in solidarity. Also
many of the bus, postal, ambulance and fire fighter
workers amongst many others who passed us (as our
building is situated on one of Belfast city centre's
busiest roads, as we are in the centre of Belfast)
beeped their horns, waved or raised their fist in
solidarity with us. Just after noon we then marched
from Branch 8 (as Branch 8 had done - the only NIPSA
branch to do so - with the branch 8 anti-war banner
to then march to Belfast City Hall on day X against
the bombing of Iraq.) to join other colleagues also
on the march to Transport House for a rally. That
evening (in relation to the Northern Ireland wide
and very successful strike action) and the next day
remarkably but not surprisingly apart from the NIPSA
General Secretary J. Corey all those others interviewed
on ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern’ TV
or Radio or pictured in the main daily Northern Irish
press the next morning were those activists who had
stood on the steps of Branch 8 that day, who like
many thousands of our colleagues did and still do
stand firm against this deplorable pay reduction and
the continual existence for many on poverty wages.
Presently we are on work to rule in preparation for
further sustained actions.
These
are some of the events in but the last three weeks
or so that go unheard to a larger audience. Yet for
many of the Belfast SWP we are also involved in other
campaigns, such as myself for example involved in
the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
Again during that three-week period I participated
in the IPSC white line picket on the Falls Rd with
Blanket contributors such as A. Fox, S. Matthews,
and A. McIntyre etc. I have been involved in this
solidarity campaign for several years now and the
commitment of many of its lead members is again inspiring.
I remember not long back doing a ten mile sponsored
walk for the campaign with the above persons, but
for most of the walk having a discussion on many issues
both local and international with Tommy Gorman who
I would agree with on many issues. Similarly, speaking
as I have at times to Brendan the ‘Dark Hughes’
or Tommy Mc Kearney etc I would find myself nodding
in agreement. Yet discussing, engaging and debating
with other ‘establishment and non- establishment’
leading republicans and similarly with aspects of
leading political loyalism - Unionism or leading trade
unionists, I have found at times intriguing analysis
and indeed perceptions on many issues including that
of Palestine.
Yet
for one as I stated at the onset I am as inspired
by what one would deem smaller acts. I remember several
years ago when Clinton came here and we had organised
a demo against his arrival. At that time there was
a politic of embracement for this US president from
Sinn Fein to aspects of the so-called left that swam
with the tide. Yet when I arrived early for our demo
I saw a woman sitting alone on the steps of the Waterfront
hall with a hand drawn poster. It read, 'No US imperialism
welcome in Ireland’ or words to that effect.
So I went over and talked to her and she was not even
aware of a demo but had come alone to stand her ground
amongst the gathering masses who were waiting to greet
and cheer on the leader of US imperialism. When she
spoke she did so with her eyes, as they breathed fire
and defiance as I had seen on various occasions. It
was like when my comrade Andrew King who was shown
around the world standing up and standing firm - when
Clinton arose and spoke in Belfast’s Waterfront
hall Andrew took him to task over US Imperialism’s
role. Yet such was the nature of the almost total
embracement of the established Nationalist –
Republican parities of Clinton that the TV commentator
thought that the socialist that spoke out live against
Clinton and US imperialism was a loyalist! Yet one
knows that like that woman I had first met on those
steps (we are now good friends and she is still a
committed activist) that there will always be those
that will stand firm and speak out, and over the years
I have found many such individuals around Belfast
or they have found us and together we work now on
many campaigns, through many networks with each other,
with a similar belief of seeking a better, fair, just
and equal world.
On
a last point as I had stated not so long ago, that
the Irish Congress Of Trade Unions (ICTU) had called
a united campaign against the water charges which
was good to see. But I had stated that I believed
that they wanted firstly such a campaign cemented
under their umbrella and secondly that I believe that
little activity would be forthcoming for them, as
is to date the case. It was not a coincidence that
as rank and file activists were preparing the ground
against water charges that the ICTU quickly moved
to form an umbrella group. We with others initially
had initiated and held very well attended meetings
on the issue in communities such as South Belfast,
(of which my comrade Ryan is the secretary) attended
by many from the local community as well as by leading
trade union activists from several trade unions. Yet
after the ICTU led campaign launch had watched, waited
and had given them the opportunity for an active response,
but to date, as I thought, none has been realistically
forth coming. So - what is to be done?
Quite
simply if the ICTU with their clout do not move to
actively organise and mobilise on this issue soon
then its rank and file along with communities and
their organisations should begin the process of organisation
for the organised fight back against water charges.
In the meantime pressure needs to be brought to bear
on leaderships to actively organise. If they do not,
then the organisation and the lead needs to come from
below. One has to remember despite our differences
in the ‘wee world’ of Northern Irish politics,
that these water charges will hit the working class
communities, poorest and most vulnerable foremost.
Therefore those differences, for the benefit of those
communities, however hard will need to be set aside,
and in doing so putting the collective needs of the
working class and the vulnerable to the forefront.
That
has been but the last three weeks or so of some of
our activity at the close of this year; a year amongst
other things that had seen our initiation of the largest
anti-war march in the North’s history and all
that came with it (as recorded on the Blanket).
So another year over, and a new one to begin, a year
of a just struggle, a year of continual movement forward.
To those engaged in that just struggle however large
or small, for a just and equal world, for a world
without war and famine, for a world organised for
need and not greed, we send you our revolutionary
Internationalist greetings.
Index: Current Articles + Latest News and Views + Book Reviews +
Letters + Archives
|
