Public and Private Sector Solidarity required

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Wednesday October 15, 2008 12:46 by Noel Murphy - Independent Workers Union info at union dot ie 55 North Main Street, Cork City 021 4277151

No bailout of banks and taxation of poor

Independent Workers Union National Secretary, Noel Murphy, has called on Workers in the public sector to take action in Solidarity with those working in the private sector.

Public and Private Sector Solidarity required

No bailout of banks and taxation of poor

Independent Workers Union National Secretary, Noel Murphy, has called on Workers in the public sector to take action in Solidarity with those working in the private sector. He has said that instead of allowing right-wing politicians and commentators drive a wedge between public and private sector Workers, the trade union movement should organise industrial action within the public sector.

Rather than allow a rift to emerge between different sections of hard working people, emphasis should now be placed on forcing the government to reverse its decision to penalise those in the lower income bracket. Strike action by key sections of the public sector would force the Coalition to think again, Noel Murphy insisted

The IWU National Secretary also pointed out that the meagre pay rise awarded to low income Workers in the recent Partnership negotiations has been wiped out by the 1% levy on all earnings announced in Brian Lenihan’s budget.

“If the government can afford €480 billion to bail out the banks, it can afford to forego taxation on the less well off” he said, adding that, “ Since the government has clearly decided to renege on commitments it made during the Partnership negotiations, the Irish trade union movement should no longer feel itself bound by the deal”

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Noel Murphy can be contacted on Tel: 021 4277151 or 087 9068460