Press Statement: Lisbon - If O'Leary is for it, it can't be in our interest

national | eu | press release

Thursday September 24, 2009 19:11

by PRO Workers Solidarity Movement

Anarchist organisation, Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM) has attacked Michael O'Leary's support for the Lisbon treaty, describing O'Leary as "one of Ireland's most notorious anti-union employers"

Anarchist organisation, Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM) has attacked Michael O'Leary's support for the Lisbon treaty, describing O'Leary as "one of Ireland's most notorious anti-union employers"

"Any worker who was undecided on how to vote on the Lisbon treaty must surely have had his/her mind made up by the sight of O'Leary linking up with one of the five founding members of Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party and jetting from airport to airport across the country in support of a ‘Yes’ vote," said Gregor Kerr, WSM's Lisbon spokesperson.

"Michael O’Leary and European Commission vice-president Antonio Tajani may have thought that they would impress us all with their political stunt of flying a group of journalists from Dublin to Knock, Knock to Kerry and back to Dublin for the purpose of pointing at the big EU flag painted on the side of the aeroplane," continued Kerr.
"However the reaction of most workers will surely have been “If they’re for it, it can’t be in my interest.” Nobody will be impressed by O’Leary’s sudden concern for the ‘national interest’. We all know that his only interest is in the bottom line, that he has in the past been willing to ride roughshod over the rights of workers to improve that bottom line, and that his endorsement of the Lisbon treaty is because he sees in it the potential for further diminution of workers’ rights."

"The massive amounts of money being spent by Ryanair, Intel and other multinational companies as well as by IBEC and the pro-business lobbies in this referendum should set off warning bells in the mind of every worker in Ireland and throughout Europe," concluded Mr. Kerr.
"The last couple of months have seen massive job losses and huge attacks on the wages and working conditions of workers. O’Leary and the rest of the employer lobby are in favour of Lisbon because it endorses the race to the bottom and will facilitate even further such attacks. If they’re for it, it cannot be in our interest. All workers should vote No to Lisbon and get organised to resist the attacks on our wages and working conditions."
Further WSM comment on the Lisbon treaty can be found at http://www.wsm.ie/lisbon

Statement Ends
More information from WSM Lisbon spokesperson, Gregor Kerr on 086 1501151

Note to editor:
Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM) is an Irish anarchist organisation with branches in Dublin, Cork and Belfast and members in several other places around the country. WSM members are involved in many trade union and community campaigns.