Where now for Irish Trade Unions? Brid Smith talks to Jimmy Kelly of Unite the Union

Brid Smith

Jimmy Kelly: No not at all surprised - following Croke Park 1 wage cuts and job losses, public sector workers felt they were being made the scapegoats for the Govern- ment’s failures on the economy. They also felt they were lied to in that none of the savings achieved in CP1 were shared, as Jimmy Kelly had been promised in the agreement, let alone the fact that the agreement was still not finished, it still had another year to Irish Marxist Review has always pro- run. claimed the crucial role played by trade UNITE joined in a VOTE NO alliance unions in the struggle for socialisms while with three other unions, the INMO, CPSU also recognising the vacillating role of the and IMO. We arranged public meetings bureaucracy, especially in Ire- around the country, we took the campaign land with its close ties to the against the wage cuts and further job losses and the government. Earlier this year to the membership and explained exactly saw a splendid vote by rank-and-file trade what every clause in CP2 meant. The re- unionists against the Croke Park 2 but the sult of the vote was a fantastic demonstra- ICTU leadership wasted no time in resting tion of workers showing their willingness defeat from the jaws of victory with the to fight back against the Government and Haddington Rd. Agreement. However it a hostile media. is clear with the strike of the Dublin Bus workers and some other disputes that there BS: Can you give us your analysis is a certain revival of trade union militancy of the vote and the main factors in- taking place and this is being accompanied volved? by efforts on the part of some trade union- ists such as SIPTU Grassroots to organise JK: It was most certainly a vote which to reclaim the unions from their conser- reflected the anti-austerity mood among vative and compromised leadership. In all workers both Public and Private. I felt this context Brid Smith has interviewed workers were seeking leadership across the Jimmy Kelly, Regional Secretary of Unite sector, a leadership prepared to use the the Union who are one of the sponsors of strength of a united public sector standing the Peoples Assembly against austerity at up for their rights on jobs, wages and pen- the Dail on the 18th September. sions but also fighting for the principles of a top class public service in Health, Edu- Brid Smith: Many union officials cation and Local Authorities. The No vote were clearly surprised by the vote I think gave us the opportunity to deliver against Croke Park 2, did it surprise an important victory, in fact an historic you? victory for workers in and which

51 could also be responsible for inflicting a coming more centrally active in our unions. serious setback for this coalition Govern- ment in their drive to make workers pay for BS: What do you see as the main an economic crisis not of our making. The tasks facing the left in relation to Government had threatened to impose the Irish trade unions? wage cuts through emergency legislation if they were rejected by the workers - but JK: Our main tasks are for turning around now in the face of this rejection I believe the campaign of Government and employ- that the Government would not have had ers in their attacks on wages and condi- the confidence to impose the cuts. tions. Austerity has failed. From the be- ginning, the trade union movement and BS: What then of developments fol- progressive organisations knew that aus- lowing the vote? terity would fail. It drives down growth, employment and income, resulting in a JK: The ink was hardly dry on the bal- poorer economy and society. International lot papers rejecting CP2 when the efforts agencies and domestic commentators are were underway to undo the fantastic stand coming to the same conclusion. taken by public sector workers through Now is the time to end austerity in Ire- their massive rejection of CP2. The new land. Economics is about choices - polit- process was undertaken by the Labour ical choices. Unite’s proposals, and our Relations Commission and facilitated by analysis of their likely impact, show that unions who were prepared to break up the - even within current financial constraints strength of a united public sector through - we can make better choices and achieve engaging in sectoral talks and bargaining better outcomes. End austerity - and you on the rejected CP2. What emerged from end the ‘need’ for austerity. those talks - the Haddington Road propos- Wage stagnation has now become a als, essentially the same as CP2 - was then characteristic of the Irish economy. Real put to Ballot. Without the sort of leader- wages are actually falling, at a time when ship which should have followed the first working people are having to cope with ballot I think workers felt let down and de- increased taxes and charges while at the moralised by the behaviour of union lead- same time trying to get out from under ers and therefore probably felt there was debt. Those who are already at the bot- no alternative to acceptance. tom of the economic pyramid are experi- encing the greatest drop. Of particular BS: There would appear to be a cer- concern is a significant wage fall in the hos- tain revival of the left in the unions. pitality sector, where workers are already Is this your impression? amongst the lowest paid. These workers have seen an average drop in weekly earn- JK: I think there is still the possibility ings of nearly 10 per cent after inflation of a real fightback on behalf of workers’ over the past two years. rights, employment rights and trade union Recent budgets have sucked money out rights. The anti-austerity campaign is still of the economy through tax increases and central to everything we do and can still spending cuts, and this continuing wage be defeated. We need more unity based on stagnation simply adds another damper to the example of the NO alliance in the cam- an already struggling economy. Increasing paign against CP2 along with the left be- wages and income floors must be part of

52 the recipe for economic recovery. lead to a victory for our class. The good We should build for massive protests news is that there is an alternative - we against austerity but we have got to have must fight for that alternative through a strike action as part of our fightback. I united campaign with a united left embrac- am confident that the struggle against aus- ing public and private sectors, workers and terity which of course is not a policy but unemployed - now is the time to get better is a weapon to shift resources from work- organised. ing people to the wealthy in society can

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