on exams their failure to make benchTHE SUSPENSION of Mick O'Reilly (and a colleague) as head of the Irish District of the that General Workers Union by his bosses in London following an if education is to oransatonal audit b a wor treated rying development.
So far no justification for the suspension has been offered profit but O'Reily has been unable to publicty defend himself because of a gagging order by London.
disabused breach of which mighe give the excuse to tum suspension into a sacking. Powerless The membership of the union has thus been left speculating on what is going on, leaving them feeling powerless to even form an opinion, never mind cake action on the basis of it. Rumours have been rife as to members with reports circulating that it They shand not was the result of a request demand from Bertie Ahern to Torry Blair to use his influence on the of pay T&G leadership in London to get rid of a thor in his side The ICTU leadership felt of the compelled to disclaim any responsibility in the matter, and since he is almost as much a no pressure will come from them for public justification of the move or opposition to it.
benchmark This was quite clear from the ICTU Congress in Bundoran where the hierarchy of the union morement was deterahead for issue. Enforcers This was obvious when delegates were locked into the hall be reviewing the once again praise social parthonest nership, and the role of ICTU enforcing it on workers. attack on the rights of workers nership with the bosses.
The press has already let i be known that it was O'Reily's support for the train drivers in Association joining the ATGWU that lies behind the his and O'Relly's prominent oppositon to socia parte ship, and lately the Nice Treaty. all point to the inescapable conclution that as far as the establishment is concerned (an establishment that includes ICTU) there is to be no choice Even to workers.
The ICTU and the state do tions for workers fed up with company-friendly unions. They don't want alternatives to the cosy social partnership deals voicing political opposition to pro-big business plans encapsulated in the various EU treaties.
Oppose
All these are good reasons why militants in the union movement and the left must prioritise opposition to the suspension.
This can be done immediately by recalling the recently launched rank and file union campaign whose founding we reported in the last issue of While it is especially important that a campaign be built in as Ireland, the threat to Mick O'Reilly is an issue for the It is not necessary to agree vith everything Mick O 'Reillanos tor -have many differences with him - to see that he is beins attacked because he offered an alternative to workers fed up with the present sunocaung His silence will weaken the fight to buid such an alternatve.
Outlook