The mortgage Growth is the Key - ICTU SIPTU Biennial debate pre-budget submission Conference 2011 Pages 6-7 Page 12 Page 15-19 Vol. 10 No.9 November 2011 ISSN 0791-458X Government Michael D - second SIPTU fiscal plan member to is wrong become President approach Michael D. Higgins has become the second member of SIPTU to become President of Ireland. Unions outline proposals for investment Michael D. was announced the and greater tax yield from the wealthy clear winner of the challenging election race when he won over By Frank Connolly a million votes after transfers were distributed during the The strategy contained in the ings, for example, of more than count on Saturday 29th October. Government’s fiscal statement €500 million by removing the In 1990, another member of is the “wrong approach” and will generous interest relief against not succeed in achieving the rental income granted to land - SIPTU, the Senator, lawyer, uni - jobs and growth needed for lords,” Jack O’Connor said. versity lecturer and human Ireland’s economic recovery, “Essentially there is a need for a rights activist Mary Robinson, SIPTU General President, Jack strategy that involves invest - won the presidency. O’Connor, has said. ment for jobs and growth, lever - Michael D’s election was The Minister for Finance, aging money into the economy welcomed by all of those who Michael Noonan, has said he without compromising the favour the principles of collec - intends to achieve savings of national finances.” tive solidarity over the crude €3.8 billion euro in next In meetings with the individualism that marked the month’s budget for 2012 includ - Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and so-called boom and contributed ing €2.6 billion in cuts to public Tanáiste, Eamon Gilmore, on to the dramatic economic col - services and €1.2 billion in tax Wednesday (2nd November) the lapse of recent years. increases. SIPTU President and Congress A longtime trade union “This is the wrong approach. leaders argued their case, activist, human rights campaign - It will not provide the necessary including accessing private pen - er and politician, Michael D cre - impetus for growth. While the sion funds and the European EU/ECB/IMF troika is dictating Investment Bank, among other ated tens of thousands of jobs in the terms there is a need to sources for investment. the cultural sector when he leverage as much into the econ - At a meeting on Thursday (3rd served as Minister for Arts, omy as is taken out in the November) the trade union del - Culture and the Gaeltacht in the s r 1990’s, helping to bring the i December budget,” Jack egation set out various propos - e p S k O’Connor said. als contained in the Congress economy out of the last recessione . r e D He said the balance between Pre-Budget submission to the His seven year term in Áras : e r u t c cuts in public services and tax Minister for Finance, Michael an Uachtaráin also coincides i P : o increases, while an improve - Noonan and the Minister for A protestor in Parnell Square, Dublin participating in support of with important anniversaries fot r o ment on the previous govern - Public Expenditure and Reform, the Occupy movement which has spread from Cairo and Madrid h the socialist, labour and nationaP l ment, does not sufficiently Brendan Howlin. These include to Wall Street where in recent months thousands of young independence movement in transfer the burden to those a proposal for a tax on wealth Americans have joined in peaceful efforts to take over the Ireland, including the founding most in a position to pay. above €2 million and a solidari - financial capital of the world. The Dublin protest on 22nd October was entertained by singer Billy Bragg at the Occupy of the Labour party in 1912, the “There is more scope for tax - ty levy on an escalating scale on Dublin Lock Out of 1913, the ing the rich while the reductions incomes in excess of €100,000. Dame Street site outside the Central Bank with renditions of 1916 Rising and the War of in public expenditure should be The SIPTU and Congress lead - protest songs including “There’s power in the union“ and the implemented in such a way that ers also made specific invest - “Internationale”. The message is clear; the voices of the 99% of Independence. The President- the wealthier sections of society ment proposals including pri - the world’s population must be heard above that of the 1% elect is also committed to devel - which dominates through the unequal distribution of global carry more of the burden. The vate investment into the oping a vision for a more sus - resources. Government could achieve sav - Government’s NewEra pro - Picture: Derek Speirs tainable economy and a more Continued on page 2 inclusive and equal society. ORGANISING FOR FAIRNESS AT WORK AND JUSTICE IN SOCIETY • WWW.SIPTU.IE • JOIN ONLINE 2 Liberty NOVEMBER 2011 News In this month’s Liberty The Fiscal Advisory Dublin Council Council’s €4 billion mistake Page 8 of Trade Unions Crisis in the Eurozone Pre-Budget Demonstration Page 12-13 For Jobs and Growth Assemble; Garden of Remembrance, Egyptian Parnell Square, Dublin unions ramp up 12 p.m. strike action Page 20 Saturday 26th November March and Public Meeting at GPO Mind your health: Arthritis Page 22 SIPTU Unions set for showdown Community Page 26-27 with Tories over pensions Tens of thousands of public sec - announced on 3rd November. lic that workers in the public sector tor workers in the North will join The industrial action is in get a ‘gold-plated’ pension, but the their colleagues across the UK in a response to British government reality is that across the public sec - Poems of Michael D day of protest on 30th November plans to increase the retirement age tor the average is £5,600 per year Page 28 unless the Tory/Lib Dem govern - to 68 while forcing workers to pay and for women across the public ment backs down on plans to raid 3.2% more towards their pensions sector is just under £4,000, with their pensions. while their payments will be 65% receiving less than £6,000.” Over 20 unions are balloting reduced by 15%. She added; “While the unions members for industrial action on in SIPTU members are being tried to negotiate a fair settlement what is expected to be the most encouraged to vote in favour of join - the Government has not listened. widespread industrial protest in a ing their colleagues in the industrial We now have no other option but to Rovers take generation. Members of Unison, the action that will involve up to 2.5 ballot for industrial action on 30th UK’s largest public service union, million workers. November.” the honours voted in favour of industrial action SIPTU Organiser Brenda Ballot papers must be returned Page 30 by a resounding margin of nearly Callaghan said; “The government is to SIPTU by 16th November. four to one with the result trying to convince the general pub - Continued from page 1 gramme and the sale of Solidarity The Pre-Budget submission calls contagion to review and amend this Bonds for specific investment proj - on the Government to review and arrangement with effective cost sav - ects. amend the arrangement whereby the ings to the exchequer. It must to this. Congress has detailed measures exchequer faces an exposure of up to Not to do would be reckless,” the Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views. whereby private pension funds could €65 billion in repayments and inter - submission states. increase the proportion of their est arising from the debts of the If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: assets invested in the domestic econ - failed Anglo Irish Bank and other For details of Congress Pre-Budget [email protected] omy by 5% which could generate an institutions. submission see Page 12. Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, additional €4 billion in capital invest - “The Government has the option Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 ment for vital infrastructural proj - within the Memorandum of SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor • Vice President, Patricia King • ects. Understanding and without risk of General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] SIPTU Head of Communications, Frank Connolly • Journalist: Scott Millar • Advertise in Liberty Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU) & Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) • Publications Assistant, Deirdre Price • Administrative Assistant, Karen Hackett To advertise in Liberty, contact the Communications Department on 01 858 6372 or Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour email [email protected] • Liberty offers very competitive rates Printed and distributed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. for advertisements which reach SIPTU members countrywide Liberty 3 News NOVEMBER 2011 Freedom waves to Gaza SIX QUESTIONS PATRICK NULTY TD SIPTU college tutor Mags O’Brien Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy, for - was among 14 Irish people taken into mer Ireland rugby player Trevor Hogan, custody by the Israeli military forces Sinn Fein councillor Gerry when the MV Saoirse was boarded on MacLochlainn and former Fianna Fáil Friday (4th November) in international TD, Chris Andrews. waters off the coast of Gaza. SIPTU General President described The Irish vessel had been sailing the Israeli action as “as an illegal act of alongside the Canadian ship Tahrir to piracy without any mandate in interna - Gaza on a mission to deliver humani - tional law.” SIPTU’s Mags O’Brien tarian aid and challenge Israel’s illegal In May 2010, Israeli commandos was aboard MV Saoirse blockade of the Palestinian territory.