Dublin Council of Trade Unions
- Pre Budget Demonstration -
Trades Councils, Trade Unions
Community and Campaign Organisations
March Against Austerity
Stop the policy of austerity – reverse the cuts!
Tax the wealthy not the needy!
For a public investment programme in jobs!
March & Rally 12 p.m.
Saturday 26th November 2011
Garden of Remembrance,
Parnell Square, Dublin
Speakers: Eugene McGlone (President ICTU & Unite)
Aviva shop stewardLucia Fay (SIPTU hospital cleaner)
Cathleen O’Neill (community activist)Dublin
Dublin Council of Trade Unions - ‘Pre-Budget Demonstration’
On November 2nd Ireland handed over €700 million to the unsecured bondholders of Anglo-Irish Bank (an amount roughly equivalent to the reported social welfare cuts planned for the Budget). Over the next nine months, €3.5 billion in total will be handed over to individuals who received extra high rates of interest precisely because it was unsecured.
If we stopped all the unjust bail-outs, there would be no need for the threatened Budget cuts in December. If we invested in society rather than laying waste to it, the atrocity of closed wards, closed nursing homes for the elderly, cuts in school special needs, reduced services for the homeless, the hopelessness of mass unemployment, cuts in community budgets, could all be ended.
The Greek government has been allowed to write off half of its debt. Why not the same here?
We are continually told that there is no alternative, there is no money. Yet when the interest on the debt is lowered by the ‘troika’, when a billion dollars is paid to unsecured bondholders, when it’s discovered that €3.6 billion is not owed after all, we are told that €3.8 billion must still be taken away on 6th December: €12.4 billion altogether in the next four years on top of the cuts since 2008.
Before yet another cruel Budget it is time for a big peaceful demonstration in Dublin. The larger our numbers the greater the possibility of bringing a real change in policy. Mindful of this, the Dublin Council of Trades Unions is anxious to construct a broad, inclusive coalition which unites the trade unions, community organisations and campaigns against cutbacks. As a first step we are calling a major pre-budget demonstration in Dublin on Saturday 26th November 2011.
The demonstration will promote three simple demands - Stop the policy of austerity – reverse the cuts.
- Tax the wealthy not the needy.
- For a public investment programme to create jobs.
Already a broad range of organisations have united with us around these points. We invite you and your organisation to assemble at 12 noon on Saturday 26th November at the Garden Of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin.
We want to try to unite the many campaigners who are already resisting the effects of these austerity policies. If you would like more information or to help organise for Saturday 26th please contact:
087 2101370 or dctuforum@gmail.com or the above address.
Latest posts by Irish Left Review (see all)
- Understanding European Movements: New Social Movements, Global Justice Struggles, Anti-Austerity Protest - May 22, 2013
- Progressive Film Club Fundraiser with Ken Loach - May 21, 2013
- No2CrokePark2: Public Rally, Liberty Hall, Sat 25th of May @2pm - May 21, 2013
- New LookLeft out now! - May 20, 2013
- Left MEPs to debate austerity and abortion rights in Dublin - May 15, 2013
November 13, 2011 10:46 pm
Good to see the unions shaking themselves. But I wouldn’t put much money on ICTU.
I’ll be there though.
One thing though, there is not much about the role of odious debt. Nothing to point out the effects of capitalism’s systemic crisis and Labour/Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil decision to take on the bankers and speculators debt as sovereign debt – which are at the root of the austerity measures.
Why not put the axe to the root and Repudiate the Debt!
November 14, 2011 2:00 pm
“…there is not much about the role of odious debt”
Except the first four paragraphs.
November 15, 2011 9:17 am
Occupy Dame Street decided last evening not to participate in the DCTU march. An alternative proposal to hold their own march, join up with the DCTU march and invite the DCTU marchers to come to Dame Street without their banners, had a clear majority but was blocked (in the consensus process) by less than a dozen people. The assembly eventually decided that ODS would attend as individuals and that DCTU marchers would be welcome at the ODS assembly afterwards without their banners.
November 15, 2011 11:07 am
nose. cut. spite. face.
Occupy Dame St has actually managed to make itself irrelevant. That is quite an achievement.