Trade Union 'democracy' Inaction

In Limerick opposition to the PNR has been strong. Prior to the ICTU conference to consider withdrawing from the programme the number 2 branch of SIPTU in the city wrote to the National Executive calling on it to abandon the programme. The Limerick Council of Trades Unions also instructed its two non-voting delegates to speak against the PNR atthe same conference. All the indications are that any proposal for another agreement of this type will be resoundingly rejected by Limerick workers.. The meeting of the EETPU to decide its policy on the PNR which was held two days before the special conference is probably a fairly representative example of the wheeling and dealing used to rig the conference in favour of the PNR.

At the meeting Mick Brennan the Area Secretary presented a deal for areview of wages in the construction industry. Wages in the industry have fallen far behind those of plumbers in maintenance and the public sector. The proposed review had been cooked up in the days immediately preceding the mecting in talks between Mick Brennan, the ICTU andthe Construction Industry Federation (CIF). Talking to an audience probably 80% working in construction Mick Brennan orientated the mecting totally around the proposed review, promising almost casliron guarantees that such areview would yield increases of £50 to £60, but that this deal * the best he ever negotiated ‘, depended on the continuation of the PNR. Despite the confusion the speech caused the PNR was overwhelmingly rejected.

Al the end of the meeting it slipped out that the unions full delegation was in doubt. This was news to the accredited delegates in the hall and proposals that full delegations of six votes be sent to the special conference were not taken. The | revelation that ICTU was prepared to deny full delegations on the basis of partition caused outrage and played a good part in ensuring a ‘NO' vote. The meeting or the delegates did not leam until reading the following mornings newspapers that their votes had already been cut from six to two without any consultation. In the meeting itself the fact that the branch committee had recommended against the PNR was barely referred to. Suchis trade union democracy in action, Ithas also to be remembered that very many trade union members were denied any chance to discuss or vote on the PNR proposal.

NEW ANTI-STRIKE LAWS tseems strange for the government to be bringing in new anti-strike legislation (The Industrial Relation Bill 1989) ata time when strikes are practically non-existent. Even stranger that the ICTU should immediately welcome the changes announced late last year by the Minister for Labour, Bertie Ahem, On LIMERICK OPPOSITION loser examination the new laws follow quite logically from recent history particularly the advent of the PNR to which they are a corollary. Unlike the ICTU the government and those they represent do not believe that industrial peace is assured and class antagonisms ended because of ICTU's capitulations, The Industrial Relations Bill sects out to institutionalise the ICTU role by making industrial action by workers totally dependent on ICTU approval. It also reinforces their policing role by removing statutory immunity from industrial action which has first gone through an obstacle course of procedures and arbitration. In effect unofficial strikes, strikes which occur before all procedures have been exhausted and strikes caused by disputes between different sections of workers will be illegal and wall be met with the full force of the law including liability for losses incurred by employers.

New Measures The new measures include:

|. The setting up of a Labour Relations Commission to which all disputes must be referred, This is in addition to cxisting procedures such as the Labour Court, Rights Commissioners etc.

2. Compulsory secret ballots and legal sanction granted to trade union executives to introduce secret ballots whether the members want them ornot. A union failing to comply willhave their negotiating licence removed, 3, The removal of immunity from unofficial actions.

There is much more to this bill that is detrimental to workers interests and An Reabhloid will deal with it in more detail in future issues. What is essential is that the ICTU is not allowed to let it pass into law behind workers backs. There has been no criticism so far from any trade union leaders and there is a danger of the working class losing many of their traditional wade union rights without evena debate. Itis upto rank and file activists to begin an infomation campaign to alert the trade union movement to this latest threat.

AN REABHLOID - Page 7.

IRISH NATIONAL CONGRESS