Workers Solidarity Movement

The WSM will be taking part in the Dublin Councils of Trade Unions Budget demonstration Saturday 26th November.  We plan to meet at 11.30 before the march just south of the Parnell monument for a bloc expressing discontent with the union leadership AND the lack of attempts to build real grassroots organisation and democracy in the unions.  We need a General Stike but we won't get there by demanding ICTU call one, we need to build organisation at the base of every union.  We think it is essential that as many anarchists as possible participate on the day and would also urge other anti-authoritatian organisations & individuals from union, environmental, community & Occupy movements to meet up with us there.  

The call from the DCTU follows.

Fight for your rights - because no one else will - Sat Nov 26th@12pm, Garden of Remembrance, D1

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 education and school staffing levels, 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
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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.comor the above address.