Workers Revolutionary Party - SACK BEGG DEMAND DUBLIN TEACHERS

The News Line: News Saturday, 28 March 2009 SACK BEGG DEMAND DUBLIN TEACHERS

Irish workers taking to the streets of Dublin last month in a massive demonstration against the government’s crisis measures

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) Dublin City Post Primary branch has called for the resignation of Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) general secretary David Begg over the calling off of Monday’s national strike.

The branch’s meeting last Wednesday passed a motion of no confidence in the ICTU executive council.

This motion stated: ‘This branch is alarmed at the lack of protest by the ICTU against the pension levy and the income tax increases for ordinary working people that are being proposed in the forthcoming mini budget.

‘The branch commits itself to organising a lobby and delegation of the ICTU calling for urgent action against the pension levy.’

Paddy Healy, chairman of the National Public Service Alliance, warned: ‘This is an indication of the extreme frustration on the part of public sector workers at the lack of action on the part of ICTU and at ICTU’s tacit acceptance of the pensions levy and cutbacks.’

l The furnace shutdown was completed yesterday at the Waterford Crystal factory in Kilbarry, leaving it devoid of molten glass for the first time in more than 20 years.

This followed the completion of the company’s sale to private equity company KPS Capital Partners.

The new owner is retaining 176 of the 485 workers sacked in January when the firm went into receivership – about 80 of these will be ‘skilled artisans’ and up to 35 other full-time and 50 part-time workers are being retained.