Da Bash Sit-ins!
Socialist Republic1984Trade unions and workers' strugglesTrade unions and workers' struggles
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Padraic White, Direétor of the Industrial Development Authority, and Garrett FitzGerald have hatched up a plot to demoralise and dis-orient workers fighting back against job closures. They have decided that IDA grants will be refused to workers who are occupying industrial premises, and planning independent enterprises. It has not been workers who have been the recipients of large grants or the free concessions but the big multinationals who disappear after two or three years.
CONFRONTATION!
This is a devious move by the Coalition faced with a growing number of workers, prepared to face imprisonment, in a desperate bid to save their jobs. Thousands of workers now realise that this government and its predecessor, the Fianna Fail variety, have no solutions to the crisis.
They are demanding action from trades union leaders and if not forthcoming, take direct steps themselves. Workers at Scarriff, Kingdom Tubes, New Ross Shipyard, Carrigaline, Datsun, Ranks, Ciondalkin, have all refused to surrender their integrity or ability to fight. They have not succumbed to demoralisation or apathy. These workers “ie Coalition side. FitzGerald is preparing the ground for major confrontations by whittling away at the _ limited options, and morale of workers prepared to sit-in, The ICTU, if it had any mettle, would really challenge this move — instead of issuing rhetorical statements. But most of the ICTU’s present leaders have little or no strategy worked out. We all saw that through the Tax Campaign when they marched up to half a million people — up the hill and then they marched them down again!
FIGHTBACK!
Workers don’t want to waste their time by going down the road moe eel Ee eee: YS eee response in the BudgetTax marches exposed a great deal of scepticism among the rank and file. It is now up to the militants on the ground who have led and learned a great deal from struggles to give a lead. The leaders on top’ can be pushed on or pushed aside, Peoples Democracy trades union activists and supporters are working with other trades unionists to win sponsorship for a major fightback conference later in the year.
ANN SPEED