Reinstate Mick O'Reilly and Eugene McGlone Supporters organising meeting reminder

by john clifford Wed Jun 12, 2002 13:45

hey,

it would be helpful if you gave a bit
of background on this. i have no idea
who these guys are.

cheers,
john c.

by Union activist Wed Jun 12, 2002 15:34

Is it wise to set up a new union? Would it not be better to organise a fightback within the existing unions, Mick & Eugene should mobilise the membership of ATGWU against their dissmissal.

By establishing a new union of left activists it will tear the left from other unions and could set back the fight to reclaim unions back many years.

by C. Wed Jun 12, 2002 15:57

Mick O'Reilly and Eugene McGlone are two officers from the ATGWU who were sacked by the British leadership of the TGWU because of their support for the ILDA workers and more generally their opposition to partnership and issues such as Nice.

(the charges are long and complex but this is what it amounts to).

On setting up a new union - Mick and Eugene campaigned for Tony Woodley as deputy general secretary of the TGWU - his election last week was a victory for the left against the union hierarchy, the blairites and the TUC. They are actively campaigning for their reinstatement within the TGWU both in Ireland and Britain.

The new union (IWU) was set up as a reaction to a number of things - social partnership, the rules in ICTU regarding union membership and poaching (e.g. the ILDA members who 2 years after leaving SIPTU were not allowed to join another union) and the inability of the labour movement in Ireland to have any real relevance.

The meeting tonight is part of a campaign for their reinstatement - and is an all union meeting.

by Union activist Fri Jun 14, 2002 15:52

"The new union (IWU) was set up as a reaction to a number of things - social partnership, the rules in ICTU regarding union membership and
poaching (e.g. the ILDA members who 2 years after leaving SIPTU were not allowed to join another union) and the inability of the labour
movement in Ireland to have any real relevance. "

These are all legitimate concerns and I fully back the politics of the anti ICTU/ partnership trade unionists. But the question that must be asked is, will a new union strengthen the left fightback in the unions in Ireland? At this stage I think not, it will weaken the left and isolate many genuine members further from their unions