22 October 1998 Edition
Prize should spur Trimble
Much has been made in the media over the past week of the fact that Gerry Adams was not a recipient of this year's Nobel Peace Prize. The man himself was in no way disappointed and had no such expectations.
The fact that the Nobel Prize went to Ireland was a positive development. It is another step in internationalisng the effort to achieve a lasting peace settlement here.
The prize should act as a spur to all sides in the political process to forge ahead with the drive to make peace in Ireland a permanent reality.
The Nobel prize coming to Ireland should act above all as an encouragement to David Trimble not to renege on the commitments he made on Good Friday. The fact that he is a peace prize recipient, however undeservedly, gives Trimble new status and room to manoeuvre in relation to unionist hardliners seeking to bring down the Agreement.
The next couple of weeks provides the timescale within which David Trimble can demonstrate that he is actually a deserved winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Industrial relations in Ireland hit a new low this week when two building workers were jailed for the simple act of asserting their right to picket their workplace.
For the past year there have been a series of disputes on Irish building sites. All have followed a similar pattern where workers concerned about wages, working conditions and basic workplace rights have asserted their fundamental right to withdraw labour and picket their workplace.
These problems are not unique to the building industry.
Throughout the Irish economy workers are being discriminated against on basic issues of the right to proper wages, to sick pay and pension entitlements. In some flagship companies like Esat Telecom workers are being denied the right to join a union.
Imprisoning workers is not the answer. It is not a solution and will backfire on everyone. Yesterday's High Court decision was a step backwards and the government must act. Repeal the 1990 Industrial Relations Act now.
The fact that the Nobel Prize went to Ireland was a positive development. It is another step in internationalisng the effort to achieve a lasting peace settlement here.
The prize should act as a spur to all sides in the political process to forge ahead with the drive to make peace in Ireland a permanent reality.
The Nobel prize coming to Ireland should act above all as an encouragement to David Trimble not to renege on the commitments he made on Good Friday. The fact that he is a peace prize recipient, however undeservedly, gives Trimble new status and room to manoeuvre in relation to unionist hardliners seeking to bring down the Agreement.
The next couple of weeks provides the timescale within which David Trimble can demonstrate that he is actually a deserved winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Building workers jailed
Industrial relations in Ireland hit a new low this week when two building workers were jailed for the simple act of asserting their right to picket their workplace.
For the past year there have been a series of disputes on Irish building sites. All have followed a similar pattern where workers concerned about wages, working conditions and basic workplace rights have asserted their fundamental right to withdraw labour and picket their workplace.
These problems are not unique to the building industry.
Throughout the Irish economy workers are being discriminated against on basic issues of the right to proper wages, to sick pay and pension entitlements. In some flagship companies like Esat Telecom workers are being denied the right to join a union.
Imprisoning workers is not the answer. It is not a solution and will backfire on everyone. Yesterday's High Court decision was a step backwards and the government must act. Repeal the 1990 Industrial Relations Act now.