Wednesday 29 September 2010

Video of SIPTU at 'Stop the Cuts' Rally in Belfast

SIPTU join 'Stop the Cuts' Rally in Belfast

SIPTU members joined with hundreds of workers on the joint Trade Union Rally against proposed cuts at Belfast City Hall today (Wednesday 29th September.)

The NIC - ICTU rally was organised to coincide with the European day of action against austerity measures and drastic cuts to public services by Government's across the continent.

The rally included a number of speakers including Peter Bunting from ICTU and Patricia McKeown of Unison, with all speakers gaining a great response with rapturous applause from the enthusiastic audience.

SIPTU members defiantly demonstrated with placards and flags, backing the united call that workers should not pay for the irresponsible actions of the bankers.


Speaking from the march, SIPTU representative Anne Thompson said,

"Today's rally was called to galvanise support behind the campaign to stop cuts to essential public services and to send a very clear message to Sammy Wilson that local people will not tolerate or allow the £2 billion of cuts which he proposed."

"Siptu will be to the fore in working with all the unions, political parties, community and voluntary groups in ensuring that working people and those most in need are not footing the bill and suffering for the irresponsible and gung ho actions of the bankers."

"Today's rally was a great kick start to the campaign, and we encourage everyone to weigh in behind the next 'stop the cuts' rally at 1pm on 23rd October at Belfast City Hall. See you there!"

Wednesday 22 September 2010

We 'did not let it slip' - why should we pay for it?

Niall McNally
SIPTU Organiser


The recent announcement by Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson, that the Assembly would need to make cuts of more than £2 billion is deeply worrying and must not be allowed to proceed.

There must be united resistance against what can only be described as economic absurdity.

We simply cannot allow a Tory government to impose cuts that may see the loss of up to 40,000 jobs. Laying waste to the public sector, and exerting huge pressure on the private sector, which will be expected too but cannot fill this unimaginable gap.


(Niall McNally, SIPTU Organiser)

If allowed to proceed, the cuts will have a disastrous impact on the local economy and by extension our communities.

Everyone has their part to play in ensuring these cuts are halted in their path. There must be unity across trade unions, civic society and our political parties to demonstrate the strongest will of the people in a solid rejection of these extreme cuts.

Speaking on the current recession at the TUC conference, Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England said, "We let it slip, we, that is, the financial sector and policy makers."

As the admission of Mr King tells it, working people did not create the crisis, so why should we pay for it?

SIPTU believe that only through government investment, protecting the jobs we have, while stimulating the economy through imaginative job creation, like investment in the green economy, infrastructure and social care, can we build and work our way back out of any recession.

Cuts are not the answer, short term savings will only lead to long term unemployment, economic wilderness and recession.

If you are disgusted at the thought of 40,000 job losses, the most savage of cuts to our public sector and services, and the heart being ripped out of our communities through prolonged recession, then stand up and be counted.

Join with the Trade Unions at Belfast City Hall at 12.30pm on Wednesday 29th September demanding an end to cuts to our public services!

Save Our Communities

Jim McVeigh
SIPTU
Community and Voluntary Sector Branch

At present in the north over 27,000 people work in the community and voluntary sector. They are for the most part dedicated people who work long, often unsociable hours for low pay. Tens of thousands more volunteer week in, week out, supporting in many cases the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society.


Community organisations provide absolutely frontline services to our people who need it most and already cushion the impact of poor healthcare, low wages and inadequate government funding. Support care for our elderly, childcare for our working parents, support for those suffering from domestic violence, education and training opportunity to help prepare people for employment and lift them out of poverty, vital cross community work, including supporting victims of the political conflict on all sides, taking our youth off the streets and into more constructive activities and past times.

If these vital projects and services are cut in the time ahead, it will be the most disadvantaged, the most vulnerable in our communities that will suffer. It will be your reader's local elderly care projects that will close, it will be your reader's local youth clubs that will close, it will be your reader's childcare projects that will go to the wall. it will be them, their neighbours and our children who will suffer.

Cuts to frontline community services, will not only mean jobs lost to the economy but the reduction of vital services. Service’s that none of us can afford to do without. SIPTU believes that all of our local politicians, including Basil McCrea, all of our executive ministers, should be vigorously opposing any cuts to frontline services.

The poor should not be expected to pay for the greed and irresponsibility of the bankers.

Friday 3 September 2010

SIPTU Boots Day of Action Video

SIPTU organises 'Dignity and Respect in the Workplace' Day of Action in Belfast

Ireland's largest trade union, SIPTU held a 'dignity and respect in the workplace' day of action on Tuesday 31st August at the Boots flagship store, in Donegall Square, Belfast.

The day of action which included the distribution of SIPTU badges to workers in the store, was aimed at raising awareness on workers rights and promoting dignity and respect in the workplace.


Speaking on a successful day of action, SIPTU organiser Teri Cregan said,

"The day of action was another important step in highlighting the campaign to ensure workers rights are enshrined in the workplace. The Boots workers were fully supportive of the SIPTU Boots Organising Committee's decision to have the day of action and were happy to take part in the campaign to make sure all their staff, across all the stores, are treated with dignity and respect. Wearing the SIPTU badge was their way of showing support for the campaign, and they were very enthusiastic to carry it through".

"SIPTU will continue to lead the campaign to ensure 'dignity and respect in the workplace' and will work to empower, organise and represent the workers in Boots stores across the north."

www.siptu.ie