Unite Publishes Alternative ‘people’s Budget’

national | anti-capitalism | press release

Thursday December 02, 2010 13:22

by Jerry Cornelius - UNITE

* Growth budget will use assets to generate jobs and reduce deficit
* Measures includes rebuilding of communications, water and waste infrastructure
* Preventative health initiatives and improvements to built environment
* Loan guarantee scheme for business, action to prevent long term unemployment

UNITE PUBLISHES ALTERNATIVE ‘PEOPLE’S BUDGET’

* Growth budget will use assets to generate jobs and reduce deficit
* Measures includes rebuilding of communications, water and waste infrastructure
* Preventative health initiatives and improvements to built environment
* Loan guarantee scheme for business, action to prevent long term unemployment

The UNITE trade union has today published an alternative ‘People’s Budget’ which is based on investment from existing resources, job creation and a growth led reduction of the deficit. The document outlines how this budget will be more effective than the Government plan and how it will foster growth to escape from the vicious economic recession which threatens to blight Ireland for a decade or more.

“The economic landscape which faces Ireland today is bleak,” said Jimmy Kelly, UNITE Irish Regional Secretary.

“The reality for many hundreds of thousands of families is that their living standards are in freefall, their children are faced with no choice but to emigrate and those who are cursed by unemployment have little prospect of securing work.”

“It was not meant to be like this. The government asked for the trust of the Irish people as they cut €14 billion out of the economy in the past two years. They said it was necessary to share the pain in order that the public finances could be brought back under control. They misled the nation.”

“Now they say a further €15 billion cuts are needed in order to make the same broken promise. They are selling our future.”

“The agreement shamefully concluded with the EU and IMF last weekend must be changed if we are to have any form of prosperity in the future. To fail in that will consign the country to decades of penury. This cannot be allowed.”

“The People’s Budget published today by UNITE outlines a viable alternative budgetary strategy. It is one that will reduce the deficit through encouraging growth. It will get people back to work. It will use the assets which we have built as a nation to help us in this dark hour.”

The People’s budget outlines how each €1 Billion investment will create up to 12,000 jobs in areas that will be of lasting long term benefit to the country. It calls for an investment over four years of €15 Billion from current cash assets held by the nation of €35 Billion, even after bank recapitalisations.

Proposals for an end to regressive tax incentives, tax increases initially on high earning groups and the reinvestment in the economy of efficiencies from the provision of public services will allow for among other things the building of a communications infrastructure to support the talented young companies operating on a global digital stage; the introduction of preventative health initiatives that will improve the well being of all citizens; and the upgrading of water and waste networks and the built environment that will create employment and save wasted money on inefficient systems.

“This People’s Budget does not involve pouring money into a failed banking system and the private pockets of those who gambled that the speculative bubble would last forever.”

“It points to a better way forward. A way that will make the present bearable and create a future where the next generation of Irish citizens can live and work in the country of their parents.”

“It must be in the public hands to choose between despair and hope, a begging bowl or a future created and controlled by the Irish people. To do so a general election is needed immediately, before the current policy drives us off an economic cliff.”

“The voices which have been centre stage in Ireland up to now are the voices of government ministers, bankers, bond holders, the IMF and speculators.”

“The voice of the people must now be brought centre stage. The “People’s Budget” represents our alternative. We need to force a radical change in what is happening to our UNITE members and to the members of every other union and community organisation throughout Ireland.”

“We need to force the political change necessary to have the proposals in the Peoples Budget implemented, whatever that takes. The future of Ireland is at stake.”

END

Further information:

UNITE Regional Secretary Jimmy Kelly 087 9003217
UNITE (Ireland) Press Office Rob Hartnett 086 3851955

www.unitetheunion.com/Ireland
www.twitter.com/Unite_Union_Ire

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Unite calls for national strike

by pat c

Thu Dec 02, 2010 13:24

Unite calls for national strike

The Unite trade union has proposed a general strike in opposition to the Government’s economic programme and in support of an alternative strategy.

The union has also proposed a campaign of civil disobedience including the non-payment of any water or property taxes introduced in the forthcoming budget.

Irish regional secretary Jimmy Kelly said the union would be putting its proposals for national strike to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in the weeks ahead.

Mr Kelly comments came as Unite published what it descried as a viable alternative budgetary strategy.

It said it would be aimed at reducing the budget deficit by encouraging growth and getting people back to work.

The strategy calls for investment of over €15 billion over the next four years from cash assets held by the State. It also includes proposals to end what it described as “regressive tax incentives” and to increase taxes initially on high earning groups,

It said efficiencies from the generation from the provision of public services should be reinvested into the economy.

Unite represents about 60,000 workers in Ireland.

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Unite Publishes Alternative ‘people’s Budget’

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