The sleeping giant of the CPSU has finally awoken!

dublin | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Tuesday November 21, 2006 23:50 by Paul Kinsella - CPSU Activist And An Post Worker (Strictly Personal Capacity!)! paulkinsella53 at yahoo dot com 53 Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9, Eire 0851478100

Now it's time to arouse the sleeping giants of the other unions!

It looks like the sleeping giant of the CPSU has finally awoken! In addition to the CPSU Executive Committee voting to pursue our own pay claims separately of ICTU and 'Towards 2016', the CPSU Executive Committee at its meeting held on Thursday, November 2nd, 2006 voted to pass the following Motion: "In the context of persistent high inflation and to ensure real wage increases for those on lower/average incomes, CPSU calls on the Dublin Council of Trade Unions to campaign vigorously for government action to reduce inflation particularly in the services sector of the Irish Economy and in particular to impose a freeze on all public service charges in health, local authority, energy and transport and other areas within direct Government control."

Following it's acceptance by the CPSU Executive Committee it was then forwarded to the Executive of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU), who hold their monthly meeting on the 1st Tuesday of every month, which this month was November 7th, and the DCTU Executive agreed to put our Motion on the Agenda for the monthly General Delegates meeting, held on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, this month it was November 14th. In the abscence of our President, Betty Tyrrell-Collard, who was away on holidays, I Proposed the Motion which was Seconded. After a lively debate our Motion was passed by the DCTU Delegates almost unanimously with no votes against and 1 abstention.

Apart from the usual of lobbying of politicans via letters and phone calls and meeting politicans, which the DCTU are quite happy to do, we in the CPSU are crystal clear that our Motion commits the DCTU to organising a March to the Dáil during the working week when the Dáil sits (Monday to Friday). Some in the DCTU were quite hesitant and nervous about organising a March. However, we know that if enough effort is put into this by the DCTU and the various unions that we will get a very large turnout. Certainly, the CPSU won't be found wanting!