French Trade Union Solidarity visit to Ireland by a og level dele
Socialist Republic1981Trade unions and workers' strugglesPrisoners and the hunger strikesLabour, the left and left unityTrade unions and workers' strugglesPrisoners and the hunger strikesLabour, the left and left unity
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The end of August saw an i UF gation from the Confederation Generale du Travail ( the biggest union federation in ce and one which is politically allied to the Communist Party. Among the delegates was the of the Paris region and an official in charge In Belfast the delegation met relatives of the hunger strikers and activists in the prisoners’ campaign including trade unionists from the De Lorean car plant, the deep sea docks and the Royal Victoria Hospital. The delegation learned with shock that the Irish trade union leadership had failed to speak out clearly on behalf of the political prisSince H Block was a fundamental issue of democratic rights the French trade unionists believed they had to be on the prisoners’ side.
The delegation were very interested to hear about loyalist pressure in the trade unions. They noted the failure of the union leadership including prominent members of the Irish Communist Party, to seek affirmative action for Catholic workers in the Six Counties Armagh campaign. it was heartening to hear of the can paign by the CGT itself in support \ the prisoners over the past months. Indeed, on the night the delegation arrived in Belfast, the CGT organise a demonstration of over 10,000 pec through the streets of Paris in defen of the hunger strikers. CGT membs have also been involved in leaflettin trains and ships bound for England, explaining the prisoners’ demands a condemning the British government The CGT will continue its campaigr France and will also attempt to wid support for the prisoners in the ing national trade union movement. It will make the hunger strike an issue a meeting of the European Trade U Union Confederation; it will be rais with the British TUC and the leader ship of the ICTU will also be challe: ged on its failure to defend the dem cratic rights of the prisoners. The efforts of the CGT are simply a indication of the potential support the prisoners within the internation labour movement and should highlight the need for more resources devoted to trade unions in the H Bi