PaPer of the SocialiSt Party
iSSue 113
january / february 2018
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Fine Gael’s contempt for the homeless
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How the health crisis can be solved
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
news
Amazon: Delivering capitalist inequality & exploitation WOrkers get shafted while the super-rich are worshipped like gods by the media. Meanwhile the gap between the wealthiest and everyone else keeps widening. Nothing symbolises 21st-century wealth inequality like Amazon and its head, Jeff Bezos.
corporate sponsors. Frederick Kunkle, a Post journalist, wrote an article criticizing this. his employer warned him not to write the article, and when he went ahead anyway, he was given a formal warning, even though he published it in the Huffington Post. if you see poor Fred in the dole queue, you’ll know he wrote something bad about Bezos again.
$36,000 amount of money amazon CeO Jeff Bezos made in every single minute of 2016, according to Business insider uK. he’s now worth nearly $100 billion. The media attribute his wealth to his “genius.” in fact his wealth comes from owning a vast apparatus of warehouses and vehicles, and the workers who staff them on poor pay and conditions. not to mention his tax breaks, state subsidies and brutal undercutting of rivals.
15 miles Distance walked in a normal day by a worker in one amazon warehouse in new Jersey. you’re not allowed to sit down, even if there’s nothing to do. supervisors with iPads watch your every move. you could be yelled at, get written up, have holiday hours docked, or fired, just for sitting down or for failing to meet targets (thestreet.com).
200 number of parcels per day delivered by amazon drivers in the uK. They often have no
$600 million
Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, has an obscene net worth of almost 100 billion
time for toilet breaks, so a lot of workers have to carry plastic bottles in their trucks to urinate in. By the way, these drivers have bogus “self-employed” status, or else get hired through subcontractors. They’re paid a flat rate that takes no account of fuel or rental, meaning they earn less than the minimum wage. Many routinely exceed the maximum legal shift of 11 hours and break speed limits, all to meet amazon’s crazy targets (Mirror.co.uk).
135 million The square feet of us retail space already driven out of business by amazon’s monopoly (institute for local self-Reliance). The number of jobs destroyed far exceeds those amazon has created, and the company plans to lay people off and bring in
machines anyway.
Three
number of men in the us – namely Bezos, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet – who control as much wealth as the poorest half of the us population. These top three are all men, and the 25 richest are all white. 0.7% of the world’s adult population that controls 46% of the wealth. 70% of the world’s working age population controls just 2.7% of wealth.
Money the Pentagon paid amazon for setting up a cloud for all the us intelligence agencies. along with other tech tycoons, Jeff Bezos sits on a Pentagon advisory board, helping the us military and intelligence communities spy on and control their own citizens, while also wreaking havoc from libya to afghanistan and beyond. Don’t expect the Washington Post to criticise the Cia anytime soon.
By Manus lenihan
Zero amount of tolerance shown when amazon workers try to set up a union. according to one journalist: “it broke up a union organizing effort by closing the call center and dismissing everyone who worked there” (Frederick Kunkle, huffington Post).
$1 trillion increase in the wealth of the world’s richest 500 people in 2017 (Guardian). These vast riches don’t come from the “clever ideas” or “hard work” of rich people. amazon is a perfect example of how it actually comes from exploitation, monopoly, a race to the bottom, dictatorial treatment of workers, and control of the media and the state.
$250 million sum that Bezos paid for ownership of the Washington Post, one of the biggest newspapers in the us. When Bezos took over he started looting healthcare, pensions and benefits. he banned journalists from criticising
often work 55-hour weeks Workers in Amazon warehouses
Understanding wealth inequality
Karl Marx at 200 By Monika Janas
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lobal wealth inequality is growing at an obscene pace, this is confirmed by reports as organisations as diverse as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to oxfam. there is nothing natural about this inequality, it is inherent part of the particular economic and social system we live under at the present time: capitalism. Though productivity per worker is growing, partly due to new technology, and the profits of big corporations increase, this is not reflected in the lives of working people, with the wages of workers on a global scale stagnating. The employees of the richest man in the world, the owner of Amazon, are forced to set up camp in the warehouses that they work in because there isn’t enough time between their shifts to travel home, as they work 55-hour weeks. Analysis of capitalism “Accumulation of wealth at one pole is at the same time accumula-
tion of misery, agony of toil, slavery, ignorance, brutality, mental degradation, at the opposite pole.” These words were written by Karl Marx, born 200 years ago this year. He recognised in his extensive works that it is workers that produce new wealth or value in society. They are the ones who take raw materials and create value or new wealth through their labour, and it is by the exploitation of the working class that capitalists can make a profit. The wages that workers receive in return for their work don’t reflect the amount of wealth they produce, and the difference is what generates profit for corporations. Thousands of workers can cooperate on a global scale to create good and services, but the profits they make go to big business. It is the 90,000 people that are working for Amazon that ensure that goods and services are delivered to your door, not the mutli-billionaire Jeff Bezos. Yet, through a combination of the pitiful wages they receive and long hours they work, workers in Amazon only
receive a fraction of the wealth they create. On a global scale this kind of exploitation is becoming more intense.
Karl Marx, father of scientific socialism, was born in May 1818
Organised theft If profit is what’s left over after raw materials are paid for and the wages distributed, then wages need to be pushed as low as possible, while keeping productivity high, to maximise profits from the point of view of capitalism. As the profits of the elite grow, wealth inequality will do the same, and a system that has inequality written into its framework is incapable of delivering for the needs of all. Capitalism is a system based on organised theft, through the exploitation of the labour of working class people. The wealth of the capitalist class, that we have produced, must be seized from them. Not for nothing did James Connolly call socialism “the great anti-theft movement”. With capitalism creating unprecedented misery on our planet the necessity for such a movement has never been greater.
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
Conor Skehan re-appointment:
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By Dave Murphy
ccordInG to Minister eoghan Murphy, there wasn’t any “suitable” candidate to replace conor Skehan as chair of the housing agency, so they had no other option but to re-appoint him. It would make you wonder exactly what qualities they were looking for in a person to take over one of the highest ranking roles related to housing, if a man who thinks that the housing crisis is “normal” is the best candidate. The truth is Conor Skehan isn’t the best candidate if you want to get homeless people off the streets, eradicate the housing list and solve the crisis. In fact, he’s part of the problem. What Fine gael really thinks Skehan’s re-appointment cuts through all the spin and political
smoke screens and reveals what Fine Gael actually think of the homeless and those in the housing crisis. Skehan is a homelessness denier. He said that the crisis, which sees over 8,000 people including 3,000 children in emergency accommodation, is “normal”. Just days before his re-appointment, Skehan told us that the homeless figure is only that high because people are “gaming the system” in order to skip the housing list by declaring themselves as homeless. This doesn’t just show a lack of empathy, it goes further. Skehan thinks that people are scroungers who will go to any lengths to get a “free house” off the council – even if that means being homeless and living in often filthy hotel rooms packed with four, five or six people. This is the callous, contempt
Leeside Apartment evictions:
Vulture fund faces campaign of resistance
By Councillor Fiona Ryan IN OCtOBer last year, mass eviction notices were served to an entire apartment block in Cork City after the sale of the property to a subsidiary of Us Vulture Fund, Bain Capital. Over 30 households had their first interaction with their new landlord when notices to quit were served, with the landlord named only as “Larea Fa Fund Li DAC”. exploiting loopholes Some residents learned of their eviction notices after seeing notices exposed and taped to their front doors. Lugus Capital, the Irish subsidiary of Bain Capital, boasted on their website, before it was removed, that their company’s mission was to purchase property cheaply, and re-let to “young professionals”. The Leeside Apartments are within the “rent pressure zones”, restricting rent hikes to
Despite housing emergency the government refuse to build new homes
which this well-heeled Blueshirt holds for working class people. He has a track record of over 20 years providing “crisis-denial” to Fine
Gael. Despite all the science, global warming and extreme weather events he is a climate change denier.
housing
Fine Gael’s cold contempt for the homeless
gaming the system? Skehan, and Fine Gael are ideologically tied to a neo-liberal capitalist model, which views every single thing in society as something to be profited from, including housing. They don’t blame the system they represent, the very thing driving people into homelessness. Dublin is now one of the most expensive cities in the world to rent, with 55% of people’s income going on it. Rents have shot above peak Celtic Tiger levels over the last three years, while the homeless figures have increased by over 33% in the same timeframe. Vulture funds now view property in Ireland as a goldmine, with annual yields of 7%, and have no problem making people homeless to increase rents and profits. There are a group of people “gaming the system” but it’s not the homeless, it’s the super-rich.
Damastown: Ambitious plan for social & affordable housing By Fingal Councillor Matt Waine
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4% per annum. The Vulture fund, to circumvent the rent pressure zones, is exploiting the “substantial refurbishment” loophole to secure significant rent hikes. Lugus Capital faces a campaign of resistance. In the face of an escalating housing crisis, and with the majority of the tenants being young families on low incomes, tenants face doubling or tripling of their current rents.
or a number of years Solidarity and the Socialist Party have demanded that the government and local authorities commence a serious public house building programme to end the crisis. The Housing Emergency continues to spiral out of control and Dublin 15 is a housing, homeless and rents crisis blackspot. As of January, there are now nearly 450 families homeless or in danger of becoming homeless in Fingal.
Opposing mass evictions The residents’ campaign, assisted by Socialist Party and Solidarity representatives, has been met with widespread support and organised a successful march of over 300 people before Christmas calling for closing of the eviction loopholes. Several eviction dates have since past with the large majority of residents not complying with their eviction dates. The residents plan to increase pressure on the political establishment, particularly as neither the Tánaiste Simon Coveney nor the Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin have made a comment despite these mass evictions are occurring at their constituency doorstep. The Leeside Apartments struggle represents the sharpest edge of the escalating housing crisis, and the continuation of the Irish capitalist class’s slavish devotion to the market. As long as housing is viewed as a commodity and not a human right, profiteering will mean that the Leeside scandal is only the tip of the iceberg.
Build social & affordable housing Against the background of this crisis, Solidarity in Dublin West have brought forward an ambitious plan for Fingal to build 1,135 social and affordable homes on 90 acres of council owned land in Damastown, Mulhuddart. This is the last major council owned landbank in the area – the Taoiseach’s own constituency. We did the maths. We worked out the details, the number of units, commissioned an architect to do drawings. We even worked out the financing of the project and the monthly costs of the affordable mortgages! The proposal contains 567 social houses and 567 affordable homes, broken down into four, three, two and one bed units. We have included a landscaped river valley park, a community centre and a dedicated social centre for young people along with shops, creches, cafes, and other community facilities. Massive support The total cost of the scheme would be €174 million – half paid for by the affordable mortgage scheme over 25 years, and the other half
l Damastown proposal contains 1,135 homes – 835 houses & 300 apartments l Half will be for social housing & the rest will be available through an affordable mortgage scheme l the total cost of the scheme will be in the region of €174 million l the monthly mortgages would range from €478 for a one bed to less than €800 for a four bed l Community & youth centre, shops, cafes & creche facilities met through Fingal’s own Capital budget (agreed in November 2017) and additional investment of €46 million from the Department of the Environment and the Housing Finance Agency. This scheme would dramatically alleviate the housing crisis in Dublin 15 and has received massive support from the public. On foot of this pressure, and thanks to the work of Solidarity over the last period, Fingal have announced their intention to build up to 1,200 homes on the lands. While the exact details are not clear yet – the fact that Fingal have been forced to finally move is a massive victory. We must insist that ALL these homes are ringfenced for social and affordable housing, and that there isn’t a “for-profit” aspect, where some of the homes are sold off at market prices.
Opposition to social housing However, that it has taken them so long to commit to do this is criminal in the context of the housing crisis. The Solidarity proposal is actually quite straight-forward. The question is, why did it take so long? The real reason is that this government, like the last, has an ideological opposition to the idea of a state funded construction project. They are committed to a neo-liberal mindset, whereby the role of the state is to facilitate private developers and builders to develop the housing market. This is a totally flawed approach which has seen massive land hoarding, spiralling house prices and some of the highest rents in Europe. If this crisis is to be resolved we need a break with this capitalist ideology.
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
news
Hit by austerity, starved of investment
how the health crisis can be solved
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It is clear that tinkering with the Irish health service is not going to achieve results. Major, fundamental change is needed. Socialists argue that this major change needs to be the establishment of a properly funded National Health Service in Ireland. What would this look like? First of all, it would mean the reversal of all the cuts from the austerity years. This would mean a massive increase in the number of beds in hospitals to ensure patients’ needs are met. Secondly, it would mean significantly increasing pay for nurses and other health service personnel to tackle the staffing shortages in the service.
By Mick Barry TD
ore PeoPle were lying on trolleys in Irish hospitals on January 3 than any other day in the previous history of the Irish health service. new Year, same old crisis. however, this was a crisis with a new twist. Not only were the numbers on trolleys above and beyond what had been seen before (676 on Jan 3, well above the 500 described by previous Health Minister Mary Harney as a "national emergency"). This time paediatric doctors were reporting young children on trolleys, a new and shocking phenomenon. Figures are due shortly but there may have been as many as 1,000 children on trolleys in Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin, Dublin last year. Fundamental change needed Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Record numbers were left on hospital trolleys this winter
Direct Provision: A modern, subtle prison system
An Irish NHs An Irish NHS would invest heavily in primary care: GP services, public health nurses, home helps, publicly-owned nursing homes etc. This would reduce the flow into the hospitals and allow people to leave hospital more quickly. An Irish NHS would insist that
#McStrike claims important victory
Precarious workers: Organise to win!
By Neil Moore
Residents in Knocklasheen Direct Provision defied the Grinch Aramark
By Cian Prendiville
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t’S chrIStMaS day. the kids are dressed up. It’s been a tough year, but the parents and their friends have all chipped in, bought sweets, treats and decorations for a bit of a party at home. but when they go to their sitting room, the social area where the party was going to tke place, somebody has locked it up, and won’t open up. no party allowed, go back to your rooms.’ This is what happened to the residents of Knocklasheen Direct Provision centre last month. Why? Why would management lock up the common room? Why not just allow the party to go ahead? Breaking any confidence To understand this you must first understand the whole role and purpose of Direct Provision. This is a modern, subtle, prison system, built to grind out any confidence, energy and self-organisation from
those who arrive in Ireland seeking asylum from war, persecution and poverty. The company that runs this centre, Aramark, has made huge profits out of the privatised prison system in the US. For the state, and for Aramark, if the residents feel too much like ordinary human beings, with rights, skills, agency, and connection with others in the outside world, that will make it all the more difficult to mistreat, to ignore and ultimately to deport. Instead, they must be kept isolated, unemployed, unorganized and dependant. There spirit must be broken. stealing Christmas However, Aramark and the state are not getting away with this. The residents, rather than simply accepting this, fought back. Reaching out to others, including to the local Solidarity branch, they helped blow the whistle on this. And the response was phenome-
nal: an out-pouring of anger from people across Ireland. A replacement Christmas party was organised. Hundreds of toys, sweats and treats were donated within a matter of days to make sure the message went out loud and clear: we will not stand for this. We will not let Aramark be the Grinch that steals Christmas. This is a small example of the solidarity and action that we need to build in order to tear down the whole oppressive Direct Provision system, and demand asylum seekers get the right to work, live and be treated like any other person in Ireland. We need a strong, radical socialist left committed to scrapping all the racist immigration policies of this state, and put a stop to the cruelty and profiteering of Aramark and their like once and for all. Such a left would argue for a massive investment to provide for homes and services for all, migrant and non-migrant alike.
consultants stick to their contracts and work the hours they are committed to in the public service. An Irish NHS would not simply be about putting more money into the health service it would be about structural change too. Most significantly, it would involve nationalisation of the private hospitals. Not only would this cut across some consultants prioritising private work over public it would also put extra resources to tackle the crisis into the hands of society. For example, it would increase hospital bed capacity including all the beds which have lain idle in private hospitals during the recent crisis. Last but not least an Irish NHS must be unshackled by cuts and privatisation and based on the NHS as it was founded in Britain in 1948. These Tory policies are crippling the NHS in the UK. Instead, a steeply progressive tax system which makes big business and the rich pay should be the basis for a well-funded public system which provides for the health care of all.
MCDONAlD's WOrkers in Britain are set to receive their biggest pay increase in over a decade at the end of January, which will see increases of 6.7% across non-franchise stores and some workers receiving £10/hour. the decision comes in the wake of an historic strike of McDonald's workers in september last year. The #McStrike – the first ever of McDonald's workers in Britain – saw staff in two stores striking to demand £10/hour, an end to zero-hour contracts and an end to bullying by management. McDonald's bosses have decided to make this concession due to the negative publicity caused by the strike and their fear that the strike could spread across the chain. The announcement of the pay award is a commendable victory for the Bakers', Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) and the courageous handful of McDonald's workers who went
on strike. Not only did they shine a light on the exploitative employment practises of the second largest employer in the world but also highlighted that there is a way forward for workers caught in the race to the bottom. This victory will surely provide new momentum to the Fast Food Rights Campaign in continuing their fight against zero-hour contracts and the culture of bullying and harassment in the industry, as well as demanding that all workers receive a minimum of £10/hour, regardless of age. If determined action by just 30 workers can win a pay-rise above anything McDonald's have offered or been forced to give by legislation in a decade, imagine what we can do when thousands organise across McDonald's and indeed the rest of the industry. This is a valuable lesson for precarious workers across hospitality, retail, call centres and other traditionally unorganised sectors - we can win significant concessions if we join a union and organise.
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
w
By Kevin McLoughlin
hen It looked as if there could be an immediate general election last november, any fanfare of farewell for Gerry adams was shelved, as Mcdonald became the effective leader. Pearse doherty and Michelle o’neill ruling themselves out means there is no question of who will lead the party. While there may be a change in style under McDonald’s leadership, the substance is likely to stay the same. Sinn Féin says it learnt from Labour’s fall from grace through participating in coalitions. This means that it will not promise much, so that when it does go into government and does not deliver substantial change, it hopes not to get punished electorally as Labour did in 2016. Playing it safe What Sinn Féin advocated on issues like the minimum wage, housing and public spending at the last election were so minimal they aren’t in any way capable of dealing with these vital questions for the majority of people in our society. They accept the logic of the capitalist market and in doing so will accept the reality of a housing crisis and low pay. Mary Lou McDonald may have a better feel for popular sentiments than Adams, however it is very
unlikely she will buck this approach. After she was propelled into the role of leader last November, Sinn Féin TDs on the Committee for the Eight Amendment refused to support abortion being made available up to 12 weeks on request and in doing so were outflanked by both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Following Frances Fitzgerald’s resignation as Tánaiste, a result of the issues surrounding whistleblowers, it was Mary Lou McDonald who assisted the establishment in shutting down discussion on the serious questions thrown up by this scandal. the North and coalition Sinn Féin, in the context of the crisis in the institutions in the North, want to be in government in the South. They are now even prepared to go in as a minority partner, and are consciously signalling to the establishment that they are not a threat to their economic interests. But will Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or the capitalist establishment be willing to accept Sinn Féin in Government? They may convince them that they are not a threat to the rule of capitalism, but they are also determinedly pushing for a united Ireland on the basis of pressurising and forcing Protestants into a state they don’t want to be part of. The southern establishment may be hesitant about the potential instability of such a policy.
analysis
Where will Mary Lou McDonald lead Sinn Féin?
in a conservative administration of a new type. Is it far-fetched that Fianna Fáil would be prepared to be a minority partner in Government? If the alternative for a power hungry Micheál Martin and Fianna Fáil front bench, already out of power for seven years, was continuing to be a prop to Fine Gael, it couldn’t be ruled out.
Mary Lou McDonald is unlikely to bring any radical changes to Sinn Féin
Some in Fianna Fáil are getting itchy feet in “opposition”. They are frustrated at sustaining Fine Gael in power, while it is they who go up in the polls, seemingly benefitting from being in Government. Fianna Fáil won’t ditch the idea of alternating “confidence and supply” arrangements with Fine Gael light-
ly, but when negotiations regarding the budget or a new deal start later this year, they could decide to pull the plug at some point. Fianna Fáil could embrace coalition with Sinn Féin. Mary Lou McDonald could become Tánaiste or, if Sinn Féin happen to outpoll Fianna Fail, maybe even Taoiseach,
Unstable situation Politics in Ireland is extremely unstable. It cannot be definitely ruled out that Sinn Féin may adopt a more left-wing stance and come out against the capitalist market under the leadership of Mary Lou McDonald. However all the indications are that the opposite is being indicated and regardless they will still maintain their sectarian position towards the North. Sinn Féin is on the path of compromise to power and her coronation is part of that strategy. There are no short cuts. We can’t just pressurise existing parties into fighting for our interests, we need to get active ourselves and help build a new mass political movement and party committed to breaking with capitalism, which is based on increasing inequality and deepening economic exploitation. That needs to be matched with a struggle for socialist change, which is the only way the huge economic capacity that exists will be used to solve the problems facing workingclass people.
The state & whistleblower scandal:
a cesspit exposed
Operation Mizen surveillance of water charges activists. O’Sullivan herself is alleged to have asked an interviewee for the position of deputy commissioner in 2015 as to their opinion on “left wing political extremism in Ireland.” This reached its apex in the trials and attempted jailing of the Jobstown protestors on trumped up charges of false imprisonment.
By Colm McCarthy
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he crISIS caused by the smearing of Garda whistleblowers is far from over. to date, this scandal has led to the resignation of two Garda commissioners, two Justice Ministers and a taoiseach, as well as almost bringing the government to the point of collapse in november. Frances Fitzgerald was the latest to resign in December as a result of this scandal. The mounting evidence clearly showed that she knew about what has been euphemistically referred to as the “aggressive stance” that the Garda legal team were planning on using against Maurice McCabe in the O’Higgins Inquiry in 2015. This meant using fabricated allegations of sexual abuse sourced from Tusla, the state’s child protection agency, to smear McCabe.
Frances Fitzgerald was the latest minister forced to resign due to the fallout from the whistleblower scandal
rotten cesspit The government’s latest attempt to de-fuse the ongoing crisis, the Charleston Inquiry, resumed sitting on January 8. It was immediately made apparent just how false the defence mounted by senior government figures of Frances Fitzgerald was. Not only did the Gardaí inform the Department of
Justice of its legal strategy in the O’Higgins inquiry, it sought its guidance. The fact senior civil servants were involved in this exposes the cesspit that is the Department of Justice. Leo Varadkar’s declaration that Frances Fitzgerald resigning over her role would be an injustice on par with that done to McCabe looks
all the more rotten against this backdrop. It shows how further revelations about Garda corruption have the potential to pull the rug from under both this government and the establishment more generally. Fianna Fáil have characteristically played both sides. On the one hand they have threatened to
bring down the government over Fitzgerald’s handling of the issue, on the other, just last April they voted confidence in Noirín O’Sullivan, after her role in the scandal was widely known. The attitude of the Gardaí leadership to dissent can be seen in the fact that Noirín O’Sullivan’s husband personally oversaw
Inside the gardaí There can be little surprise that the tactics Gardaí uses internally against critics and whistleblowers is turned against political threats. One of the methods used by senior Gardaí is the use of pet journalists to act as their mouthpieces. One such journalist, Paul Williams went so far as to publish the false allegations against McCabe without naming him, to avoid being sued for libel. The collusion between senior Gardaí, government ministers and the “permanent government” in the Department of Justice to defame critics cannot be seen in isolation but rather as the modus operandi of the anti-democratic state we live under. It poses in turn the question of building a socialist left to rid us of Ireland’s rotten ruling class.
January / February 2018
THE SO
THe ouTCoMe of the oireachtas Committee on the eighth Amendment has rocked the political and mainstream media establishment since its recommendations were published last December, writes KATIA HANCKe. Politicians who only months earlier would have called themselves “pro-life” voted not only for repeal, but for progressive legislation including the provision abortion up to 12 weeks on request.
special feature
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Repeal and 12 weeks, are members of parties who only weeks before voted AGAINST Repeal (eg the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis) and hold some of the most misogynistic, backward views (such as Peter Fitzpatrick from Fine Gael). When Ruth Coppinger TD stated at the Committee “this is a case of the public educating the politicians, not the politicians edusea change in opinion The last number of years we have cating the public”, she hit the nail on seen a sea-change in public opinion the head. Specifically in referring to the up on the issue of abortion. This is very clear when you look back over opin- to 12 weeks on request recommenion polls, with a systematic growth in dation, the evidence about the widepro-choice support. The Red C poll spread use of abortion pills has been last November placed support for 12 cited again and again as the main weeks on request at 60%, with anoth- reason. While establishment politier 23% being open to persuasion. cians speak about this in regretful Only a very small (but unfortunately tones, painting the picture of some very vocal) minority now clings to unfortunate teenager hiding in her bedroom, the reality is very different. hardline anti-choice positions. This radical shift in position can be Since 2014, the use of abortion pills linked with the changed position of has more than tripled. This is the Church in society, with a new safe medication, which is generation no longer accepting its used worldwide to “authority”. The marriage equality induce early abortions referendum showed graphically how, and is on the WHO list especially in working class commu- of essential medicine. from nities who led the charge when it Research came to voting “Yes” with up to 90% Women on Web, the support, broad swathes of the popu- main doctor led Sunday Times, lation want significant social change. online service, clarisonal into the politThe experience of the Citizens’ fies that the majority of 14 Dec 2017 ical sphere. These Assembly clearly showed that when women using these pills actions confronted the you put ordinary citizens together are over 30, many already state with a new reality – and present them with the facts, they have children and a majority activists flagrantly breaking will draw radically progressive con- are in a relationship. the law to assist women in a systemclusions (much more progressive atic way and demanding that politithan the establishment politicians!) Abortion pills cians respond. and decide that pro-choice legisla- This very significant rise in the use of tion is not only needed, it is the only abortion pills has played a crucial What kind of campaign? role in winning 12 weeks on request There are many lessons from the last rational recommendation. This broad support for progressive – with thousands of women now five years of campaigning on the change has also increasingly “breaking the law” inside Ireland it is abortion issue: clear pro choice arguexpressed itself on the streets. Since blatantly clear to most that the law is ments can win over the majority of the issue of abortion exploded back simply no longer viable. It has the population; it is an active camon the political agenda after the changed the opinion of significant paign on the street that is the catalyst death of Savita in 2012, mobilisa- sections of the medical and judicial for change; a relatively small group tions around the issue have grown establishment, who are at the sharp of activists can make a crucial matefrom strength to strength. In 2017 edge of this material change and are rial difference when they base themconfronted on a daily basis with selves on the broad support in societhey culminated in very sighow out of step the law is ty and the growing radicalisation of nificant mobilisations with reality. Expert wit- young people and women; tactics on International “There is nesses such as Peter and strategy are of crucial imporWomen’s Day and no practical way to Boylan, former Master tance in struggle and the broad prothe biggest March stop the use of of the National choice movement would be well for Choice yet. Maternity Hospital, served in paying attention to them, These high profile abortion pills in Ireland. brought home that tracing what has been effective so far mobilisations are That horse has bolted.” truth in his statement and learning lessons from it. accompanied by a that with the widebig increase in But the most important lesson for – Hildegarde Naughton spread use of abortion the next few months is that the Irish activity by local Fine Gael TD pills “the genie is out of political establishment has never groups all over the the bottle”. country. Repeal has handed rights willingly – everything That transformation of the we win, we will win through presbecome the battle cry of a situation did only happen because sure from below. Already, FF and FG new generation moving into political activity and a flurry of spo- of a conscious campaign by pro politicians are muttering that the ken word, music, art and fashion choice activists, with hundreds of committee recommendations went activists bravely breaking the law to too far. Unless we keep up the presbacking up the campaign. help women and pregnant people all sure, they are capable of rowing back over Ireland. Specifically, the high once again. We need 12 weeks on “Public educating the profile actions that Rosa organised request as a minimum. We can win politicians” It is the broad support and active together with Women On Web – the that, but only if we remain vigilant, campaign that has dragged the polit- abortion pills train in 2014, the abor- mobilise and leave the establishment ical establishment kicking and tion pill buses in 2015 and 2017 and politicians in no doubt that a new screaming into having to accept a the drone in 2016 – were meant to generation is politicised and more progressive position. Let’s not highlight the safety of abortion pills , unapologetic in demanding rights forget that these same politicians make them widely available and cru- and simply won’t accept anything who on the Committee voted for cially bring this issue out of the per- less.
uch has been made of the “journey” this group of politicians went on and their “bravery” by the usual pundits. but let’s be clear: this is a long overdue and hard-fought victory for the pro-choice movement that we now need to defend.
hiStoric oPPor bodily au
"Civil disobedience won the politicians over"
Socialist, pro-choice TD spe Carah Daniel spoke with Socialist Party member and Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger about the upcoming referendum to repeal the 8th and how the battle for abortion rights can be won in Ireland. Ruth was also a member of the Committee on the eighth Amendment. What was it that brought about the committee on the 8th amendment? The Committee was set up alongside the Citizens’ Assembly, to deal with its recommendations. At the time, the government was under intense pressure from the repeal/ Pro Choice movement. It had been the summer of the Maser mural and the large March for Choice. Solidarity-People Before Profit gave 100 days notice of a Bill to hold a referendum to
repeal the 8th Amendment and there’s no doubt that the government wanted something in place by the time of that debate that would allow it vote down our Bill. Of course, while the Citizens’ Assembly was rightly seen as a cankicking exercise to delay acting on
January / February 2018
OCIALIST
By Emma Quinn tHe FIgHt for abortion rights in Ireland is fast approaching its pivotal moment and the mood amongst sections of women, lgBtQ and young people is one of unapologetic determination in the struggle for “repeal”. Much more than the essential fight for basic healthcare, rights and bodily autonomy for women and pregnant people, for many, especially young people, the Repeal movement is about striking a blow to the backward state, still tied to the Catholic Church and about breaking with a vile history of misogyny and sexual repression. The movement for abortion rights in Ireland parallels an emerging fightback against sexism, sexual harassment and inequality globally.
rOsA’s ‘suffragettes for Choice’ protest action, January 2018
rtunity to Win utonomy
eaks:
“[the 8th amendment] is no longer workable because the genie is out the bottle with the abortion pill” – Dr. Peter Boylan, former
massive of abortions. I think the master of the National part in this. pressure of events forced Maternity Hospital Working in the Committee members to partnership deal with the reality of aborwith Women on tion for the first time. There was Web, the abortion pill nowhere left to hide. train and buses publicised the availability of the pills, helped women How significant were abortion access them and defiantly made a pills and the work done to highpolitical statement about the aborlight them in the committee? tion ban and need for repeal. What do you think about the A whole number of witnesses at the outcome of the committee? Is What type of a campaign are Committee referred to the wideit a positive step? we going to need in order to spread use of abortion pills. repeal the 8th amendment and Notably, Peter Boylan, chair of the We’d have to say the recommendahave progressive abortion laws obstetricians, coined the tions are historic, if you in place? phrase “The genie is consider only four out of the bottle”, as years ago the same "The [abortion We are still not there yet and will in, we can’t preparties voted for pill] protest not only need an ongoing campaign to tend abortion criminal sancbreaks several of the abortion ensure the establishment actually can be hidden tions against hold a timely repeal referendum away. In their people laws, but shows up the spaces in and legislate for abortion along the closing statehaving which they are already broken: in lines recommended. Already, there ments the FF aborwhich they are porous, not enforced, and FG politi- are indications of an attempted row tions. practically or politically back, with some senior FG and FF cians voting The figures not supportive. The for 12 weeks hope unenforceable” repeal/Pro Choice movement will explicitly cited was the – Mairead enright, have to mobilise to ensure we get medical aborDail what is needed and pile on the tion pills as the Committee Human Rights Ireland pressure on the powers that be to key reason this would water (Nov 2014) legislate - regardless of their perhad to be done. Key down the unexresearch from Dr Abigail sonal feelings. Contacting TDs will pected recommenbe crucial but international Aiken showed the level of use dations of the Assembly. women’s day should be the occaof pills through the internet and the This was the media commension again for huge demonstrations satisfactory reactions of Irish tary at the time. And it did row for repeal and abortion rights. women and pregnant people who’d back on later term abortions, Activating young people and used them. I believe the work done which is a cop-out. But the 12 by the Socialist Party and civil diswomen on this critical social issue weeks on request is hugely signifobedience actions by ROSA played a will be vital to win our rights. icant and would cater for 92%
repeal at once, it’s still always dangerous for the establishment to hand over control of an issue to ordinary people. The citizens listened and engaged in a rational debate and came back with sympathetic, ground-breaking and prochoice recommendations which the Dail Committee had to deal with.
Church and state The model of the patriarchal, hetero normative family that has been pushed vehemently by the Catholic Church and the Irish state since its foundation is deeply ingrained in capitalist society, and central to it is the control of women’s bodies and their sexual freedom - the 8th amendment and abortion ban being a stark example of that. This ideology is used to promote the idea that the key role of women in society is to be the free care taker of children, the elderly and sick, the home etc. Although this has been undermined hugely, today women still bear the brunt of childcare, housework and emotional labour. Simultaneously to this we have the prevalence of sexism worldwide, the objectification of women’s bodies and sexuality perpetuated by the beauty, fashion and sex industry making billions in profits annually by pushing old fashioned and dangerous gender roles. social justice The Repeal movement, although simmering under the surface for years, was boosted massively by the gains of the Marriage Equality referendum in 2015 – the impact of the inspiring movement of mainly young people has helped create a social justice outlook, and a desire to fight for rights and equality has manifested in the struggles for Gender Recognition and Traveller rights that quickly followed. These significant developments are occurring at a time of instability for the political establishment in Ireland and internationally, a precedent for winning rights at this vulnerable time for the 1% is a dangerous situation, potentially triggering struggle of other oppressed groups and workers. The reality is the establishment
want to attack rights not accede to them and that has in fact been the trend internationally including abortion rights. Anti-capitalist ideas But in this politicised environment these attacks on rights will not go unchallenged. We have seen the emergence of defiant and vibrant movements like the inspiring marches of mainly women in January 2017 against the election of Trump and the threat he poses to the rights of women, LGBTQ, immigrants and people of colour were attended by millions in the US and across the world. #NiUnaMenos [Not one less] is Latin America and #MeToo which was shared over 4 million times on social media give an indication of how widespread this politicisation has been and the potential it has to grow and develop. The radicalisation on issues of oppression and inequality is happening in the context of an increasingly polarised situation where the basic needs and aspirations of ordinary people cannot be met by capitalism, this is a hot bed for a growing interest in socialist and anti-capitalist ideas. It is a fact that across the world if you are a woman you are more likely to live in poverty, be a victim of abuse and be in low paid or precarious work. The feminism of Oprah Winfrey and Hilary Clinton and their ilk who represent the interests of the super wealthy does not have answers for the vast majority of women who are struggling daily. These people defend the capitalist status quo. socialist change In the last period the political lines of argument and actions of ROSA have shown how socialist feminists can concretely strengthen the movement for abortion rights and how an anti- capitalist and socialist pole in the women’s movement is essential. Members of ROSA and the Socialist Party fight not only for bodily autonomy, against sexism and oppression but for the building of an international, active and organised struggle of women, the young, the working class and poor that can overhaul society. A powerful movement of that kind would make possible the democratic and socialist transformation of society; a break with the capitalist system that allows 5 men own the same wealth as the poorest 50% of humanity; where unnecessary and needless suffering is the norm to a society that is based on equality, solidarity and need.
special feature
Socialist feminism, abortion rights & the fight against capitalism
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
Courageous fighter against Israeli oppression
international
Free Ahed Tamimi t
children arrested, detained or charged with offences in military courts. Three out of four children detained by the IDF experience physical violence. Since 1967 the Palestinian territories have been under military rule, with Palestinians being tried in military courts that have a conviction rate in excess of 99%. Judges are serving military officers, and typically do not exclude forced confessions.
By Oisin Kelly
he arreSt of 16 year-old ahed tamimi and her 21 year-old cousin nur tamimi following a confrontation with an Israeli soldier has caught global attention and once again highlighted the brutality of the Israeli State’s occupation of Palestine. They confronted the soldiers and challenged them about their presence in the courtyard of their home following the critical injury of a 15 year-old cousin. Ahed now faces up to 12 charges in a military court. Ahed’s mother, Mariman, has also been arrested for filming the incident. theft of resources Their village, Nebi Sallah, has been the location of regular protests against the theft of water resources by a nearby Israeli Jewish settlement. The water resources have been used by Palestinian farmers, and the theft of the water has had a devastating effect on local farms. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) engages in suppression of protests in order to assist the nearby settlement. In the recent past there have been two deaths of young people following IDF attacks on protests in Nebi Sallah. Immediately prior to the confrontation with the Ahed and Nur
The bravery of Ahed in the face repression has inspired people around the world
their 15 year-old cousin was critically wounded by an IDF rubber bullet. The presence of the IDF in the area was aggressive, and designed to provoke a response from the Palestinian community. The Tamimis were rightfully voicing their anger at the presence of the IDF in the area and their suppression of local protest. The video of the confrontation circulated globally on social media. Even though there was no
violence in the video and the two heavily armed soldiers retreated, the Israeli right-wing demanded that action be taken. Education minister Naftali Bennet even stated that Ahed should “end her life in prison”. They want a message to go out to Palestinian young people, that it is not possible to challenge or confront Israeli soldiers even in a peaceful way. The arrest of Ahed was highly publicised by the IDF and she is
Mass revolt shakes Iranian regime
now in the notorious Ofer military prison. Imprisoning children The case of Ahed Tamimi is a high profile example of the daily realities for young people in the occupied territories. In the past 16 years it is estimated that the average number of children and teenagers killed by the IDF is 16 per month. Since 2000 there have been at least 8,000 Palestinian
Mass resistance to occupation The Socialist Party supports mass resistance of the Palestinian people against the occupation with the right to armed self-defence. The resistance of Ahed Tamimi is dangerous to the Israeli ruling class, as it has the potential to spark a new “intifada” or mass uprising against Israeli military rule in the occupied territories. Such a struggle could potentially open up the real class divisions within Israeli society and win the Israeli Jewish working class over to a common struggle against its rotten and oppressive ruling class. It could also pose the question of a democratic socialist solution to the national question, where the Palestinian and Israeli Jewish people have a right to self-determination and democratic ownership and control of the wealth and resources of the region.
Erica Garner
An inspiring life cut short
By Fiona O’Loughlin
t
he ProteSt movement which erupted right across Iran on 28 december has shaken the theocratic regime to the core. the protests started in smaller towns and quickly spread to the bigger cities right across the country. It included the Persian areas but also the areas of Kurdistan and baluchistan. Pitched battles have gone on for a week, as protesters faced down the state forces. slogans become politicised The budget which announced a steep rise in the cost of basics foodstuffs and fuel was the spark that lit the flame pushing the poor and working class over the edge. Whilst the movement began on these issues it quickly became an outlet for the seething anger that has been there for the past number of years. Slogans such as “Death to the Dictator” and “Down with the Embezzlers” give a flavour of the breadth, anger and courage of the movement. Living standards in Iran for working-class people have dropped by 15%, and many poor people and workers have been financially devastated by the corruption and collapse of the banking system. At the same time the wealthy elite connected to the regime are getting wealthier, and financially gained from the banking crisis. The religious institutions are given huge amounts of money, and vast amounts are being spent on military interventions, as the Iranian elite fight for prestige and
Youth unemployment of 25-40% was one spark for the recent revolt
influence in the Middle East. This is the basis for the anger of ordinary people. Young people to the fore Iran is one of the most youthful countries in the world with an average age of 30 in comparison to an average age of 40 in the UK. Young people see their lives and aspirations come into direct conflict with what is on offer from the regime socially and economically, particularly young women who suffer double oppression under the theocratic state. These are the sections of society who were the key factor in the movement, with reports of young women being the most daring when taking on the state forces. Youth unemployment is estimated between 25-40%. Social media has exploded onto the scene and severely hampered the ability of the state run media to control young people’s ability to express themselves, their anger and frustration. In 2009, when the last major protests took place, there were one million smart phones in Iran, now there are now 48 mil-
lion! Protesters used social media as an organiser for the protests and as tool to inform people in Iran and internationally of what was happening. Crackdown by regime While there has now been a crackdown by the state, with thousands in prison and protesters killed, yet there will be not be a return to business as usual, as none of the fundamental problems which was the material base for the movement can be solved by capitalism. The regime is fooling no one when it tries to pin the protests on outside forces such as Israel and the US. Like the revolt that has exploded in Tunisia at the turn of this year, it is fuelled the deteriorating living standards that their system is providing. The working class in Iran need to build independent political organisations. Such organisations could unite all the oppressed people and ethnic minorities to struggle against their common enemies – the regime and the system of capitalism. This would have a huge effect on the working class throughout the region.
By Leanne Geaney erICA gArNer, daughter of the late eric garner, died on 30 December 2017, following a heart attack at the tragically young age of 27. Garner became a leading activist against police brutality and in the Black Lives Matter movement after New York City Police Officer killed her father using a chokehold, after arresting him for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes in July 2014. His last words were “I can’t breathe”, a phrase that became a rallying cry for the movement Dedicated fighter She was a mother of two, who dedicated her life to fighting for equality and abolishing structural racism in our society. Beginning a month after her father’s death, she marched bi-weekly on the scene of the murder, as well as numerous other protest demonstrations. These protests were shown on the video that was made for her endorsement of Bernie Sanders. She also set up a foundation in her father’s name, the Garner Way foundation. The aim of which is to “engage communities all over the world in social justice issues through political awareness, music, arts and activism”. Her dedication has inspired many to keep the fight going until rights have been won and the rotten system has been changed.
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
P
By Aprille Scully
laStIc – a durable and inexpensive material – is an invention that has been a boost for humanity, used in everything from medical equipment to clothes. Under capitalism, however, the cheap material has allowed companies to make products more cheaply and therefore increase profits. the cost of mass producing such a durable, non-biodegradable material that is so cheap it can be tossed away is not a cost realised by the capitalist. Plastic planet The environment, unfortunately, pays the price, with 8.6 million tonnes of plastic dumped in the ocean every year. It has wound up in the stomach of more than half the world’s sea turtles and nearly all marine birds. The current projections by the World Economic Forum is that weight for weight, plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050. The BBC documentary series, Blue Planet II, centred its final episode (Ep.7), “Our Blue Planet”, on the catastrophic impact human activity has dealt to our planet and the creatures living in it. A mother albatross was seen unwittingly feeding her chicks plastic. Such was the level of pollutants in the water that dolphins were swimming in that the newborn calves were being exposed to the harmful plastics through the milk of their mother during feeding. The sheer noise of the major industries at sea – barges, boats, oil rigs digging –
review
Blue Planet shows impact of capitalist pollution makes it difficult for marine animals who communicate through sound to hear or be heard. Such pollution is only adding to the damage being done through climate change, with CO2 leading to acidification in the oceans and for example, coral bleaching, which is killling coral reefs at an alarming rate. extreme weather January 7 2018, Sydney experienced its hottest day since 1939, with distressing stories of mammals falling out of trees because of the heat, or abandoning their young to search for water or drench their fur to help cool down. Roads melted and people were encouraged to stay indoors. This cannot be written off as a random or a ‘freak’ weather extreme. Australia’s “ten hottest years” have occurred since 2005. On the same day as Sydney reached 47 degrees Celsius, in the US, temperatures in New Hampshire plummeted to -38 degrees Celsius. For the US, 2017 was a historic year for weather hazards, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with 16 ‘severe’ weather events. There is an increasing number of hurricanes linked to storm surges because of increasing sea levels. The economic cost of these disasters this year is estimated at $306 billion. NOAA estimate total costs of $1.5 trillion since 1980 – this does not include other devastating impacts such as community displacement and the spreading of diseases. For example, today, the
There is nearly 270,000 tonnes of plastic in the oceans
lived reality for most people in Puerto Rico is they still do not have electricity in their homes since Hurricane Maria struck in October 2017. Capitalist inaction The political establishment have been forced to acknowledge climate change, both by the pressure brought to bare on them by the environmental movement and the economic cost of the disasters their countries are forced to grapple with. But to tackle the warming of the climate crisis, that climate change presents, would bring them
into conflict with powerful industries, and would threaten the system of production for profit they represent. While usually politicians will pay lip service to the seriousness of climate change, their actions speak otherwise. The less skillful, more obnoxious representatives of capitalism, for example Trump, flagrantly deny there is a problem and that climate change is just a “very, very expensive tax that will cost our companies”. All of this indicates that it is not simply enough to inform the politicians of what is necessary and hope they
do the right thing. It is necessary to challenge them politically with a mass left, socialist movement that will put the needs of people and the planet first. To address the damaging effect of the oil and gas industries would require taking them out of private hands and doing away with their ‘right’ to shake down the planet for natural resources for their own greed. Socialism would mean that production is organised along the lines of what is needed by our planet and those that live on it. The current reality that capitalism offers is not acceptable.
Film review: The Florida Project directed by Sean Baker By Darragh O’Dwyer “Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America.” – Walt Disney FeW tHINgs excite children more than the prospect of a trip to Disney World - that fantastical utopia populated by the characters of their most treasured films. It might seem peculiar that writer/director sean Baker’s meditation on childhood in contemporary America takes place in the shadows of the so-called ‘happiest place on earth.’ Yet upon watching, one finds it hard to imagine a more fitting location. The Florida Project follows the lives of Halley (Bria Vinaite) and her daughter Moonee (Brooklyn Kimberly Prince), homeless and precariously residing in one of the many run-down motels in Orlando’s less glamorous outskirts. This not-so temporary home to some of the most marginalised sections of the working class is a far cry from Mickey and Minnie. Nevertheless, the mischievous Moonee and her likeminded friends Jancy and Scooty
see no shortage of opportunity for adventure...or trouble. Whether asking people for urgently required money to satiate their sweet tooths, (“The doctor says we have asthma and we gotta eat ice-cream right away!”), switching off the motel’s electricity or screaming at topless sunbathers, their hilarious antics provide the audience much needed comic relief. The inquisitive cinematography of Alexis Zabe allows us to experience this world through the eyes of a child tagging along with Monnee and her pals. Monotonous highways and tacky gift stores are transformed into exotic landscapes. They throb with colour and beg to be explored. Unsurprisingly their acts of devilment regularly bring them into conflict with the motel's manager and handyman, Bobby (Willem Dafoe). Although in these instances he makes no effort to hide his frustration, beneath it all Bobby is deeply fond of Halley, Monnee and her gang. Dafoe’s expressions artfully depict a man powerless in the knowledge he can’t fix the residents’ broken lives, however much he wants to. Out of a
seeming sense of duty he casts a watchful eye over the kids, doing all he can to keep them safe and sound in what he knows is a perilous world. Yet this is no easy feat. Halley loses her job as a stripper. Making rent is never a certainty, barely attained through a range of illegal odd-jobs (involving her daughter), that gradually get more desperate. Those looking for a morally black or white personality will not find it in any of Baker’s characters. While we are gifted with some of the most gorgeous scenes in cinema’s history of a mother’s love for her daughter, we are also continually frustrated by her chaotic lifestyle that can only negatively impact Monnee. There is absolutely no doubt of her devotion to her child, but it's also clear that she herself has never grown up. The Florida Project delicately explores their lives by affording them dignity and revealing the systemic roots of their suffering. The elusive ‘American Dream’ and its ideal of childhood, epitomized by Disney World, is negated by Halley and Monnee who live on its margins, and yet couldn’t be further away.
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January / February 2018
THE SOCIALIST
Union recognition
workplace news
humiliating climbdown forced on O’leary & Ryanair
SNAs get organised for action
By Councillor Michael O’Brien
t
rade UnIon activists and workers in general rightly celebrated the very public backtracking on the part of ryanair management over the principle of accepting that their pilots belong to a union, and recognising that union for negotiating purposes. The lengths to which Ryanair were prepared to go over the years to prevent union recognition should be recalled. This included fighting IMPACT, all the way to the Supreme Court, in order to obtain a ruling from the tops of the judiciary to the effect that the constitution protected employers like them from being obliged, even by law, to recognise unions. Coupled with this, Ryanair tried, but this time failed, through a civil defamation action against three pilot activists, to intimidate all their workers from organising. The only people who were intimidated were the establishment parties representatives on the Oireachtas Transport Committee. They repeatedly refused to hear evidence from IALPA (Irish Air Line Pilots' Association) over recent months regarding unsafe practices by the airline, and a lax approach by the Irish Aviation Authority when it came to monitoring Ryanair. Industrial action crucial However the lesson of what has unfolded is that trade union organisation fundamentally involves a political and economic struggle by workers, rather than legal and parliamentary strategies. Taking full and proper advantage of a global shortage of pilots and justifiably insisting on their due entitlement of leave and rest times, Ryanair were forced by the pilots from September onwards to cancel hundreds of flights. When their attempt to individu-
By Aisling Grace
O’Leary is notoriously anti-union, but has been sidelined by the company in the face of action by workers
ally induce pilots via bonus offers to work extra flights failed to break the unity of the workers, Ryanair realised the game was up when the scheduled day of strike action on 20th December approached. They attempted to put a brave face on it laughably claiming that they were privately reconciled to recognising unions at some point. This is a very public humiliation for Chief Executive Michael O’Leary, who has been effectively sidelined by the company. How many times over the years before the airline hit serious problems have we heard from right-wingers that we needed someone like O’Leary in politics or running the health service to sort things out!
transnational organisation needed Following on from their agreement to recognise the pilots’ union they agreed to recognise unions for cabin crew. What remains now are the office based staff and the baggage handlers, who fought unsuccessfully for recognition back in 1998, to likewise get organised. The discussions between the IALPA of FORSA (formerly IMPACT) are ongoing as we go to print. The company’s original statement contained some strings to their conditions for union recognition which are not acceptable. It is not for Ryanair to decide who negotiates on behalf of IALPA
members, as they are currently insisting. In Germany Ryanair refused to engage with a union representative that worked for a different airline. Likewise the demand that they will only engage with the union in Ryanair's own company negotiation structures is not a runner. Finally they clearly don't want to engage with unions on a transnational basis, obviously in the hope that they can hold back conditions in countries where they think the pilots have less leverage. The Ryanair workers across Europe should take inspiration from their colleagues in Ireland, Italy and Germany who have made serious headway in forcing recognition.
#Metoo & fighting sexism in the workplace By Andrea Murray
t
he recent #Metoo campaign has brought sexism into the public domain. women used it to publicise experiences and to highlight how prevalent misogynistic behaviour is worldwide. From this action came Time's Up, an initiative that aims to help battle sexual violence and harassment in the workplace, through lobbying to have legislation passed that will see companies financially penalised if they tolerate harassment without taking action. Precarious employment This campaign is welcome, as women make up the majority of part-time workers in precarious employment. The nature of these jobs instils a fear that if discrimination is reported, hours will be cut. This is on top of the many cases of women who suffer direct discrimination, where they're paid less and treated less favourably than male
colleagues, or treated unfairly due to policies within the workplace. One recent example of this reported in the media, saw a young pregnant woman who was awarded €18,000 in damages for gender discrimination and victimisation. The woman worked a 39-hour week, but her hours were cut to 24 after her boss claimed her colleagues worked harder. She was told to look happy and improve her appearance. She complained about this and when she returned from maternity leave, her hours were cut to just eight hours a week. She found it impossible to live on that income and was forced to find another job. This is type of discrimination is unfortunately not uncommon. role of trade unions Trade unions need to take a strong stance against sexism in the workplace. They must educate both workers and management on what conduct is acceptable, unify workers of all genders and none in a
fight to free every working environment of intimidation, discrimination and harassment. They need to make it safe for women and
LGBTQ people to report degrading, offensive instances of misogyny without fear and close the gender pay gap permanently.
IN OCtOBer last year, almost 9,000 special Needs Assistants (sNAs) were balloted and voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action. this move was in response to the government’s failure to announce sNA allocations before the end of the 2017 summer term, for the fourth year running. Heading into 2018, the threat of strike action looms, depending on whether their needs are met by the end of this school year. The SNAs, represented by FORSA (formerly IMPACT) Trade Union, have three key demands and are willing to fully mobilise and engage in industrial action “up to and including strike action”. These demands are: l A guarantee that, in future, SNA allocations will be announced in sufficient time (no later than May) to allow the Supplementary Assignment Panel – and distribution of available hours to serving staff – to operate to full effect l Arrangements in respect of job security on a par with teachers and other public servants l An agreed procedure for dealing with SNA grievances and issues (including proposals to resolve or refer to an agreed process all outstanding cases). government contempt The Government’s repeated failure to publish this report in a timely manner is illustrative of the contempt it has for SNAs, and for the children and parents they serve. Beyond the carelessness and contempt shown, the practical issues that arise from this include prcarity and instability for SNAs as it is being left unclear where, or if, workers will have jobs to return to each year. FORSA is seeking a commitment from the Department of Health to ensure the announcement of SNA allocations is made in sufficient time to allow a smooth transition to the next school term, and to improve working conditions for all of the SNAs involved. If this commitment, along with the other demands that the union has put forward, is not met then preparation needs to be made to ensure that the result of the ballot from October is translated into serious industrial action.
January / February 2018
11
THE SOCIALIST
By Cillian Gillespie
I
t IS fitting that 2018 opened up with the outbreak of revolts and upheavals in both Iran and tunisia, with young people to the fore in both. this year marks half a century since the revolutionary year that was 1968. This was a year that saw young people and workers challenge oppressive capitalist and Stalinist regimes across the planet. In countries as diverse as Pakistan, France and Czechoslovakia revolution burst out against the dictatorial elites that ruled these societies. Opposition to war & racism An entire generation was beginning to question and reject the old order, and in turn begin to draw revolutionary socialist conclusions about the world we live in. A sharp angle that radicalised many, particularly young people, was the ongoing horrors of US imperialism’s war in Vietnam and the heroic resistance by Vietnamese peasants and workers to its colonial presence. Throughout 1968 mass protests against the war engulfed cities throughout the world. Added to this was the inspiring struggle for black liberation in the United States itself. The deepening radicalisation of this movement was starkly visible at that year’s Olympics Games in Mexico City,
news
1968: Year of revolution when athletes Tommy Smith and John Carlos gave the “Black Power” salute at the medal awards ceremony while the “Star Spangled Banner” was playing. In May 1968, a revolutionary general strike of ten million workers shook French capitalism to its core, as the oppressive regime of Charles De Gaulle teetered on the brink of collapse. A real possibility for the working class to take power and carry through a socialist revolution existed only to be betrayed by the (mis)leadership of the Communist Party.
Ireland These events had an enormous impact on events here in Ireland, with young people in particular drawing inspiration from these explosive events. Already the working class from the mid 1960s onwards had found a new sense of confidence in its own power that resulted in a growing wave of militant industrial action. Many young people became active in the battle for decent housing in Dublin. There was a growing challenge to the rule of the Catholic Church, and flow-
Students protest in Belfast demanding civil rights
Workers and students joined together in a mass general strike in France
ing from that opposition to censorship and the ban on contraception. The Labour Party, which then
underfunded & church controlled:
Proper healthcare denied to Trans community By Thomas White
c
UrrentlY In Ireland there is a real lack of access to decent and appropriate health care services for trans, Intersex and other gender nonconforming people throughout the health system. There are only a handful of medical practitioners in the country willing to prescribe Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or Gender Reassignment Surgery, and an outmoded “diagnoses” based system that requires multiple psychiatrists / clinical psychologists to sign off on the treatment. Mounting costs Even with this, many are stranded for years on waiting lists or denied treatment altogether and forced to travel to mainland Europe to receive treatment which can cost thousands of euro. This leaves many struggling with debt or simply unable to afford it creating a tier based system where the poorest and most marginalised in the Queer community are left unable to access the necessary healthcare. Mental health and LGBT+ community resources are severely underfunded and overstretched, struggling to deal with a mental health epidemic. Members of the
had an organic connection to the workers’ movement, shifted to the left.
In the North working-class struggle has similarly developed – uniting Protestant and Catholic workers in common struggle. The civil rights movement emerged, spearheaded by young people and influenced by socialist ideas, in opposition to the Unionist regime of the Northern state. The young people that involved themselves with this movement were also rejecting what were seen as the outdated ideas of right wing nationalism. It not only demanded an end to the systematic discrimination faced by Catholics but, crucially, had class demands for housing and jobs for all to the fore, which was able to gain a sympathetic ear and support of young Protestants.
Capitalism today Capitalism today is once again preparing the basis for dramatic upheavals and revolts to take place. While the events of 1968 took place against the backdrop of a general boom in world capitalism, in the last ten years we have seen capitalist crisis and an intensification of the growing transfer of wealth from working class people to the super-rich. There are now unprecedented levels of wealth inequality in existence. Like in 1968 there is a growing aspiration for change in terms of living standards and fulfilment of peoples’ rights which capitalism cannot deliver. To deliver this change we need something that was absent 50 years ago, a movement of working-class and young people that is willing to decisively challenge capitalism and organise for socialist change.
BOOKLAUNCH: Common History, Common Struggle Lessons from the 1960s – When Workers’ Unity & Socialism Challenged Unionism & Nationalism By Peter Hadden
Queer community are especially vulnerable too, with rates of mental illness four times higher than that of the cishet population, reaching to six times the average among the Trans community. The lack of LGBT+ inclusive and comprehensive sex education, due to church influence in our schools, and curriculum is also a source of difficulty, and often a contributing factor to mental health issues. Church control of public hospitals is also a barrier to the provision of quality healthcare which is needed regardless of “religious ethos”. High levels of youth homelessness and insecure housing exacerbated by the housing crisis are also having a detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of Queer people. What is needed? What is desperately needed is a
secular fully funded public health service which will provide HRT, Hormone Blockers, Gender Reassignment Surgery and medications such as PEP and PrEP on a patient consent orientated basis. A massive increase in funding for mental health services and an extension of services provided is also needed. This national healthcare service should be free at the point of use and paid for through a system of progressive taxation on the wealth and profits of the superrich and big business. Only a secular health service of this kind can begin to meet the needs of the LGBT+ community in regards to healthcare ensuring that all members of the community are able to access it with ease so that all our needs mental and physical can be met. The full separation of church and state must be demanded to achieve this.
More info: www.socialistpartyni.org info@socialistpartyni.org “It was the sectarian forces which came out on top after 1969 and it is their version of events which predominates today. there was nothing inevitable about the rise of sectarianism after 1968. Quite the reverse.” – Peter Hadden In Common History, Common Struggle Peter Hadden demonstrates that the Troubles were not inevitable. Fifty years of bloodshed and sectarian conflict could have been avoided. Internationally the sixties was a decade of revolution and struggle for social and economic change. In Northern Ireland the conditions existed for a united movement of Protestant and Catholic working class people to challenge capitalism and sectarianism. A socialist future free from sectarian division and poverty was within reach. Peter Hadden wrote this book for the new generation of young people who are preparing to challenge today’s Orange and Green sectarian politicians and to struggle for socialism. Herald Books is publishing Common History, Common Struggle as the fiftieth anniversary of the historic events of 1968 approaches to make his unique ideas available to as wide an audience as possible.
PaPer of the SocialiSt Party
iSSue 113
january / february 2018
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