NIC/ICTU backs mass non-payment!

national | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Wednesday April 26, 2006 12:59

by non-payer - We Won't Pay Campaign

wewontpay at btconnect dot com

Northern Ireland Committee Irish Congress Trade Unions Biennal Conference backs mass non-payment of water charges

We Won't Pay Campaign Press Release

Trade unions back non-payment of water charges

The We Won't Pay Campaign welcomes the decision of the conference of the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to back non-payment of water charges.

The conference, meeting in Newry, voted in support of a motion moved by Paul Dale, delegate from Fermanagh Trades Council.

Billy Lynn, President of NIPSA commented that:

"The unions affiliated to NIC-ICTU represent over 200,000 working class people. It has long been absolutely clear that a majority of the population are opposed to the imposition of water charges. It is now clear that a majority will refuse to pay these charges. The decision of the NIC-ICTU conference is an important milestone in building a solid and determined mass campaign that will defeat the water charges".

Motion
"Conference opposes the continued steps to privatise the N.Ireland Water Service, the establishment of a Government Company (GoCo) and the introduction of water charges in 2007.

Furthermore NIC ICTU recognises the complete opposition of the N.Ireland public to these so called reforms and reiterates our support to the campaigns against privatisation and separate charges for a service we already pay for.

To this end we recognise the most effective way to defeat these attacks is a mass campaign of non payment and NIC ICTU will adopt and support such a campaign to defeat the introduction of separate water charges in N.Ireland."