Needed

is developing must not be Don't mises itl Anti-Amendment Campaign A LAST CHANCE TO .._ UNITE AND HIGHT THE ABORTION AMENDMENT The massive demonstrations Waterford Glass, the jer involving almost a quarter Lingus workers on May 9th April 13th marked 2 new on May 16th through their determination amongat work- actions have provided a ing people that they will sharp contrast to the not be forced to pay for inactivity of the ICT the mese of the Irish econ- leadership. omy created by the bosses and their politicians. The fost popular demand at all the marches and rallies summed up this determination - "MAKE THE RICH PATI"

The April 13th protests pay pause and workforces were quite different to the all over the country are big PAYE marches of a faw lining up to follow through years back. There was no the breach, Hut here too, carnival atmosphere, just the union leaders have a mood of militant anger. refused to provide real Nor was there much patience guidelines for battle with with those trade union the bosses. leaders who rhetorically denounced the Coalition but refused to map out a towards the 200,000 mark attacke on living atandeardsa.is being lad by 600 workers The greatest reception was - mainly ITGWU members)reserved for thogee Like whe are occupying their Matt Merrigan who pulled workplaces; Ranke flour no punches, calling fora Mille in Dublin and Limeraction rolling on to a Interton in Ennis and The ang ry determination to fight back shown on April 13th has been confirmed since. Despite the ,acandalous lack of leader ship from the ICTD and most major trade unions the tax protest hae refused to dle down. The workera at fo outlaw abortion will be held later this month. The people of the 26 counties will be compelled to vote on an amendment fo the constitution that opinion polls suggest the majority of them don't want, believe to be a major source of division in frish society and a monumental waste of resources.

The forces behind the amendment, the so-called pro-life brigade are wholly unreapresentative of the trish people, They are the most reactionary layer of Irish society - religious and moral fantatics who are pro-reprassion and anti-democratic, pro - the death penalty and anti-welfare, pro - the étrikebraaker and anti-trace unions.

As the real nature of the Amendment's backers has been exposed over the past faw months, those politicians whe Pretend to Tiberaligm' have tried to take their distance, This is what the contortions of Fine Gael - the original ee: ee eee of a million workers on and the CIE trade unionistea The Tax campaign is not the only one that workere have taken up the cudgele on. Tens of thousands of [== workers have broken through | the Government/employer With unemployment pushing atrategy for defeating ite the fight against job losses stepping up of industrial ick, Kingdom Tubes in Tralee general strike. Carrigaline Fottery in Cork.

It is these workers who are the frontline leaders in the fight to defend jobs and living standards - not the so-called leaders of the ICT.

The willingness of working people to fight back that it now seems inevitable fhet the referendum on the Constitutional amandment authors of the Fianna Fall wording -has bean about, The PLAC, SPUC and the other right wing groups threaten to blow the cover off Garrett's crusade to ‘modernise’ Ireland by building a truly pluralist society.

But the ‘good doctor Fitzgerald was already committed and despite his professed ebhorrence of this ‘sectarian’ amendment when the opportunity ta sink it presented itself first in the Dail and then in the Seanad Fine Gael abstained and let it pass.

Indeed, those members of Fine Gael Matt Merrigan - Need for cifective action.”

ational fightback against union movement and the the coalition's austerity Labour party and for the Efforte to organige a conference to launch such a national fightback are already underway. Hut to be successful the workers who are providing the leadership in the tax battle, the fight for decent wages and the defence of jobs must be brought together to hammer out a national strategy on all thes Lasues.

When Matt Merrigan lambasted that a genuine worker's the role of labour Ministers party in Ireland could in the Coalition at the tax defend. march in Iublin on April 13, the applause was enthusiawho had swallowed all the guff about Garrett's crusade. and continued to oppose the amendment raceived no support from the ‘doctor’ whan they were subjected to a vile campaign of abuse and intimidation.

Fitzgerald will losa no sleep over the passing of the Fianna Fail amendment.

In the present crisis of irish capitalism the Coalition has no option but ta maintain cordial relations with these reactionary forces. Fitzgerald will have no qualms about axplolting the opening presented by the Amendment as a starting point for more attacks on women's fight and the rights of working people in ganeral.

In the last few remaining weeks before the referendum the right wing will be going all out to intimidate and cajole the Irish people into voting for the - Unite the Struggles!

wasted by failing to link atic and prolonged. Merrup these struggles on diff- igan called for e review of erent frente inte a united the links between the trade AGRoME eas opening up of a discussion within the worker's moTrement on how.to forge 4 senuine political representation for working people.

In the next issue of SOCIALIST REPUBLIC, Peoples Democracy will be spelling out ite own views on this vital question, will examine the origins and history of the Labour Party and set out the sort of political programme amendment. It would be an enormous task to stop them. But it can still be done though only if the Anti-amendment campaign shows a greater dagres of urgency and determination.

If the case against the PLAC is gat across then they will be defeated.

This is tha lesson of the support which has already been won. A big drive into the trade unions and working class communities would mobilise a tremendous response.

Time is short. But itis still time enough to turn the apparent success of these fanatics inte theatr rout.

* Buide mass campaign on the atreats. * Make 3 big push to get active aupport if the trades valons and working claaa aratricts. * Press anti-imperialist organisations like Sinn Fein to transform their poviey of ooposition to fhe amendment inte achvity alongaide the campaign.

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