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As
I pen this article I hear again of yet another murder
of an innocent young man, a Catholic slaughtered
at the dawn of his life by vicious sectarian scum.
This after a series of events with both a Protestant
and other Catholics targeted in a seemingly tit for
tat scenario. Whatever the reasoning of those differing
attacks all were wrong and offer nothing for working
class people. The intensification of attacks in recent
times in the North Belfast area have been reminiscent
of past decades with the increase both in attacks
and defensive actions by those wishing to defend their
areas. This plays not only into the hands of their
opposing tradition but will also continually cause
ever increasing tensions between differing organizations
in the areas which they occupy between them. Whatever
the case as always the same economically deprived
areas and their people will feel the brunt of it as
once again death stalks their streets.
The
article I set out to write was about the trade unions
and in a way draws them into the debate on what can
be done. Just before Xmas a series of strikes took
place by bus workers in Belfast against nightly attacks
on them. Several weeks later the Communications Workers
Union (CWU) took action at the murder of their colleague
Daniel McColgan which lead to mass action by working
class people which for a while put those sectarian
scum on the back foot. This has been followed by smaller
almost largely unreported workers' actions in recent
times resulting in the combined unions actions against
low pay.
Whatever
one thinks about trade unions and their past inactivity
over fundamental issues, they can in fact be moved
if the rank and file are prepared to put pressure
in that direction. The fact that several unions in
Britain having elected in recent times 'left wing'
leaders is a reflection of growing discontent. Similarly
the actions taken in the last several months in the
North over various issues has shown that many can
cut across the sectarian divide and stand together
to attempt to bring gains for both working class communities.
Such
recent actions has begun to re-vitalize many within
the trade union movement not only in the North but
around Britain and indeed Europe. Another factors
of interest is the development of differing groups
of workers lending solidarity and at time both co-ordination
and co-operation of struggles. For example the airport
workers picket had both the Northern Ireland Public
Service Alliance (NIPSA) and the Northern Ireland
Fire Brigades Union (FBU) banners amongst others in
attendance to lend support to ATGWU members. We have
also seen other workers in preparation for actions
who are or have been balloted, such as the Belfast
Telegraph workers with both the NUJ and the GPMU recently
working closer together in various workplaces in the
interest of their combined memberships. On top of
this both the FBU and the ATGWU are working to firm
up potential campaigns with other groups of workers
working to rule or again preparing for further actions.
Many
of these actions are over the issue of low pay and
fairer conditions. These groups of workers are not
asking for the earth just a decent pay rise which
their relevant management have so far refused to do.
The recent public workers strike has had huge public
support as wider society understands the vital services
they provide at miserable levels of pay. Management
though in many of these disputes often argue that
there is not enough money to grant a rise, yet for
example while the Belfast Telegraph put a pay freeze
on their workforce the owner of the Telegraph group
made within it twenty one million pounds profit last
year! Similarly those who employed the airport workers
increased their profits by forty four per cent while
refusing to give workers a decent wage. In the months
ahead we shall see further actions in the North, Britain
and in Europe for working peoples rights and what
power they could hold for their reasonable demands
if co-operation and co-ordination was Europe wide.
While
working people take up the demand for fairer pay they
are the make up of our society and should push for
a society that reflects their wishes. Within the North
in recent times homelessness has risen by twenty three
percent with the gap between the rich and poor widening
and sectarianism now increasing with it now bringing
this recent murder. The trade union movement while
fighting for workers' rights should intensify its
fight for working class rights. That means taking
on in practice that what it voices in ideas, it means
dealing with the economic struggles but firming up
the stance against sectarianism.
While
politicians and community representatives will work
to attempt to put a lid on this escalation in violent
sectarianism, working people and the trade union movement
should concretize their stance on sectarianism. Many
concrete proposals have been forward on this issue
so the trade union leaderships need to listen to the
rank and file, to their members and not only implement
measures but come to the forefront and condemn such
murder. Let the trade union movement give a lead in
such situations as for to long the working class are
the people who have and do pay the price for those
sectarian scum who walk our streets but kill in their
own name.
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