Independent Workers’ Union join calls for a No vote

The Independent Workers Union have joined other trade unions in calling for a No vote in the upcoming referendum. The Union has issued a statement outlining its opposition to the Austerity Treaty and calling on members and other workers to reject it on May 31st.

The IWU has stated that if passed, the treaty will lead to further Austerity, which in turn will lead to increased unemployment and a decline in public services. Their statement warns that austerity will lead to reduced wages and worsened conditions for workers.

The decision by the IWU to oppose the Austerity Treaty  brings to five the number of trade unions calling for a No vote. The CPSU, TEEU, UNITE and Mandate are all calling for a No vote. The country’s largest union SIPTU has refused to endorse the treaty, and have emphasised the need for a growth package as opposed to continued austerity.

ULA Galway member elected to Steering Committee

ULA Galway member Joseph Loughnane has been elected as one of two Steering Committee representatives for non-aligned members. Joe was elected alongside Dublin Central ULA member Therese Caherty at the National Conference held in Dublin last Saturday. Both Joe and Therese have committed to being approachable and accountable to all non-aligned members. Please email Joe if you have any questions, ideas or proposals that you would like him to address.

Video guide to the “Stability” Treaty

Produced by the CounterSpin Collective, this remix of the publicly-funded Government propaganda video gives a much more  accurate take on the referendum than the original.

ULA Galway Branch Meeting

Monday 7th May – 7:30pm

Amnesty Intl Café, Middle St., Galway

The month of May will witness an escalation in the campaign against the household and water charges as well as a vitally important referendum campaign. Our activism will be stepping up a gear this month, and we need to plan for this to ensure that our work is sustainable, successful and efficient.

Why we must vote No

by Liam O’Grady

Fiscal Compact

In the secret enclaves of the EU, a great effort was made to push through the Fiscal Compact Treaty without any say from ordinary Europeans. The bureaucrats tried to tweak the wording so that because of our Constitution, a referendum wouldn’t be needed. But our Attorney General studied the legal arguments and decided that it wouldn’t pass without the Irish being given a vote – which will now happen on May 31st.

Defeating the Household Charge and Defeating the Austerity Treaty

The United Left Alliance has organised a public rally that will take place on Saturday 14th April, after the protest march and as part of the Counter-Conference. The rally will take place at 7:30pm at the Harbour Hotel, New Docks, Galway.

The rally will be addressed by Paul Murphy MEP and by Dr. Brian O’Boyle, Economics Lecturer at St. Angela’s College, NUI Galway.

The topic will be continuing the fightback against austerity and economic and social attacks on working people, the unemployed, students, pensioners, and the vulnerable.  Lessons will be drawn from the ongoing campaign against the hosuehold tax, and the treaty that seeks to impose decades of austerity will be discussed in full.

All are welcome to attend and participate.

100 Years of Labour: Time for a New Party of the Working Class

The United Left Alliance will host a public discussion to mark the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the Labour Party. The discussion will take place in the Harbour Hotel on Friday (13^th April) at 7:30pm.

The Labour Party was established in 1912 by James Connolly and Jim Larkin, amongst others. Historian Emmet O’Connor of the University of Ulster will address the meeting and discuss the achievements and failures of Labour over the last 100 years.

 Jimmy Kelly, Regional Secretary of the UNITE trade union will also participate in the discussion, speaking about the need for working people to represent themselves in both the workplace and in politics.

 The talk will form part of the ULA’s Counter-Conference, which coincides with the Labour Party’s National Conference being held in NUI Galway this weekend.

Counter-Conference

Change of Venue

The Counter-Conference organised to coincided with the Labour Party National Conference will take place at the Harbour Hotel, in Galway City Centre. The Counter-Conference was to take place at the National University of Ireland, Galway. But concerns over access and space have necessitated a move to a more central location. 

ULA Galway Challenges Labour on JobBridge Scheme

by Rachel Donnelly

Internship Schemes: A Bridge too far?

Last June, to great fanfare, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton officially launched the JobBridge internship programme. The scheme creates 6 or 9 month internships for people currently unemployed, for which they receive 50 euro per week from the Department of Social Protection on top of their existing welfare entitlement. Taoiseach Enda Kenny declared the programme to be a ‘flagship commitment’ of the Government’s Job Initiative, while Joan Burton claimed that she ‘firmly believed’ that employers would offer jobs to their interns after they completed their internship.

Why a ‘No’ Vote is Vital

Paul Murphy MEP on the Austerity Treaty

The Dail E.U. Affairs Committee is holding a 3 day sub-committee hearing on the upcoming referendum on the Austerity Treaty.

The committee is chaired by Labour TD Dominic Hanigan, and has invited international speakers, MEPs, TDs, and business and civil society representatives. Unfortunately, the speakers are stacked in favour of the ‘Yes’ campaign. For instance, a session on the second day to be addressed by economists has three speakers who have all come out in favour of the treaty. Paul Murphy MEP spoke at the committee on Tuesday, below is his contribution on why a ‘No’ vote is crucial.

To learn more about the Treaty, and why austerity is ruining our communities and our economy, come to the ULA Public Meeting on Thursday 5th April, at 7:30pm, ain AC201, Concourse, NUI Galway.