It is important that union activists insist that their individual union proceed with the stoppage unless the “Pension Levy” is withdrawn despite any ICTU recommendation to the contrary.

Please support these four demands.
Add your name to a public statement calling for a national stoppage to scrap the levy

To Sign the statement click HERE

Contact: 086 4183732
Email: scrapthelevy@gmail.com

The meeting was called by Clonmel Trades and Labour Council in response to the proposed government pensions levy, with the aim of organising protest action and uniting workers, in the public and private sector.

The first action took place on Saturday morning in Clonmel when the Clonmel Trades and Labour Council led more than 130 protestors to the offices of Fianna Fail Oireachtas members in the town.

Protestors took the opportunity to repeat their concerns and objections directly to Minister Martin Mansergh and Deputy Mattie McGrath

Among the concerns raised at last Thursday’s public meeting was confusion that the government could introduce the levy without negotiation and queries if there were grounds for a legal challenge; others questioned if the levy was tax deductable.

One angry speaker said that it came down to action, getting out on the streets and letting the government know that people are hurting.  Another speaker advocated strike action, saying no attention would be paid to marches at weekends.

A teacher at the meeting said that asking for equity was like saying if the rich paid a share then it would be ok, but it is not ok because workers already pay enough tax.

Anger was even turned towards the union leadership, and one speaker suggested reviewing what they were paid. Another speaker said it was disgraceful that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions had not rowed in behind the workers.

Clonmel Trades and Labour Council president Pat Neill said the meeting had been called to let people working in the public sector voice their protest and also let their friends in the private sector show their support.

He said there is hypocrisy in this economic climate from business leaders and there seems to be a concerted campaign to undermine the public sector. There have already been attacks on the elderly and the education sector, he pointed out, and went on to predict that social welfare will be the next area for cutbacks.

There is a lot to be fought for and strength lies with people in the workplace, Mr Neill stressed. He said that it was important that whatever workplace people are in, they should make their feelings known to their union officials and employers.

Two speakers were invited to address the meeting, one from the private sector and one from the public sector, to show that pensions are not just an issue in the public sector, Mr Neill said.

Paddy Healy, a lecturer in the Dublin Institute of Technology, is a former president of the T.U.I. He described the pensions levy as a “penal tax on public sector workers” that had nothing to do with pensions. He highlighted what he said was the unfairness of the levy, saying 15,000 people declared incomes over J200,000 to the Revenue Commissioner in 2004 but J1.4 billion of the J2 billion the government need to find in their budget is coming from the public service, and these people are not being asked to pay anything.

“I worry if we allow this penal levy they will come back again and again and again to seek more money. The trade unions are determined this will not happen,” Mr Healy said.

Donie Felle is a 39 year veteran of Waterford Crystal and he spoke to the meeting about the current situation at the Waterford plant.

He said that if the workers had not taken action and moved into the plant when its closure was announced, then they would be “down the road with statutory redundancy and nobody would care.”

Because of their actions and negotiations, they were now hopeful of keeping 240 jobs at the visitor centre and in administration and 70% of pensions for workers who feared no pensions would be forthcoming from their years of contributions.
“That happened in two weeks of negotiation. If we did nothing we would have nothing,” he stressed.
“I believe the time has come for us to say no. We should all get out on the street and march until this is sorted out.””
At the end of the meeting those gathered in the packed meeting room at Hearns Hotel voted on a final resolution: to lobby the offices of oireachtas members at the weekend; support for the C.P.S.U. protest outside Dáil Eireann yesterday (Wednesday); support for the I.C.T.U. National Day of Action on Saturday February 21; and calls on all unions locally to hold general branch meeting calling for a National One Day Stoppage.
A letter from the Clonmel Trades Council was also sent to the local Oireachtas members, calling on them to vote against the imposition of the levy.
Speaking to ‘The Nationalist’ following the lobbying of the local representatives offices, Pat Neill said Minister Mansergh told them he will be voting for the measure, Deputy McGrath did not indicate which way he would be voting, and Deputy Tom Hayes said he would support the workers where possible.

(Taken from The Nationalist, Tipperary, 21 February 2009 By Staff Reporter Sian Moloughney)

The meeting strongly demanded that all public service unions ballot members immediately for a campaign of industrial action to force the withdrawal of  the levy. The campaign within unions to promote this course will be  intensified, building on successes already achieved. CPSU, PSEU, TUI,  ASTI, INTO are now balloting for industrial action.

Considerable annoyance was expressed at the failure of the Public Services Committee of ICTU to unequivocally call on member unions to  ballot for industrial action immediately.

There was a unanimous view that the levy is a selective public service tax, which must be unconditionally withdrawn. There was strong  criticism of proposals that the levy should be merely deferred or  modified.

The 2 billion in economies which the government is seeking in the  current year could be secured by a levy on the assets of the  super-rich who gained most from the boom. The wealthiest 1% of the  population hold 87 Billion Euro in assets.

The meeting decided to work for the success of the national  demonstration called by ICTU for Saturday next. The call for common  industrial action beginning with a one day stoppage of 350,000 public  servants will be raised on the march itself

Representatives of Waterford Crystal Workers addressed the meeting. The meeting expressed strong support for the Crystal workers and in particular for their demand that government set up a national pension protection fund to ensure that private sector workers receive the  pensions to which they have contributed.

A co-ordinating committee with representatives from all public service unions was set up to drive forward the campaign for combined  industrial action against the levy. It was agreed that campaign groups would be set up
in each union and that such groups would be entitled to representation on co-ordinating committee.

Paddy Healy, Chairman 086-4183732