Three big trade unions say NO to EU Austerity Treaty

‘If the Irish Government cannot adequately defend its citizens they must defend themselves’ – TEEU General Secretary Eamon Devoy

THREE of Ireland’s largest trade unions will campaign against the EU Austerity Treaty.

The Mandate trade union, which represents 45,000 bar and retail workers, is advising its members to oppose the ratification of the Fiscal Treaty following a decision taken at its annual conference last weekend.

Speaking in Wexford, Mandate General Secretary John Douglas said:

“The Fiscal Treaty, if passed, will not create one job. On the contrary, it will legally lock-down Irish economic activity at its current levels and may even shrink domestic demand further, leading to mass unemployment, decades of emigration and sow the seeds for future social conflict.

“We strongly urge all our members not only to vote no to the treaty but to get involved in their local ‘NO campaign’.”

Douglas went on to say the treaty would result in decades of austerity, social exclusion, mass long-term unemployment and emigration.

He said the treaty “is not about what is good for Irish citizens, or the citizens of Europe, it is a treaty of the Right for the Right!”

The announcement that Mandate is to oppose the Austerity Treaty came just four days after UNITE, representing more than 50,000 workers, announced it has officially joined the ‘NO’ campaign. UNITE said the treaty would weaken Europe, stifle growth and increase unemployment.

On Monday, the executive of the largest craft union, Technical Engineering and Electrical Union decided to recommend a ‘NO’ vote to its 40,000 members in the referendum on the Fiscal Compact Treaty.

The TEEU has mandated its delegates to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions executive meeting on Wednesday to oppose recommending the treaty.

TEEU General Secretary Eamon Devoy said:

“We did not take this decision lightly. It is becoming increasingly obvious that austerity is not working. The right-wing agenda of Chancellor Merkel might make sense in Germany but it is a death sentence for our economy and people.

“The backlash against austerity is no longer limited to small peripheral economies such as Greece and Ireland. The first round of the French elections shows that citizens in major, core economies of Europe are increasingly opposed to this policy.

“Under no circumstances can we embed the draconian Fiscal Compact Treaty in our Constitution. This would condemn Irish working families to decades of financial servitude to the banks. It would effectively transform a Social Europe into a ‘Financiers Europe’ permanently.

“There is not even any trade-off on offer in terms of a financial stimulus package, either from our own Government or the Troika. It is ironic that even the IMF can see current EU policies are suicidal for Ireland.

“The failure of the Government to adopt the ICTU proposal on using a proportion of pension funds to generate growth and jobs in inexplicable. To hold a referendum when France may well change its stance makes no sense whatsoever. If the Irish Government cannot adequately defend its citizens they must defend themselves.”