Wage agreement slammed

A Chairde,

In reference to Neil Forde's article in An Phoblacht (30 January), it may be of interest to mention that not only have workers in Telecom Eireann not been paid their already agreed increases in wages but outrageous demands have been made on the operating staff that they should lose their additional allowances for Sunday work and Saturday work as well as all overtime. In addition, part-time staff are to be employed - this will have a prejudicial effect on the conditions and security of employment of those now employed. (As well as the staff being affected, pensioners, whose pension is related to that of the staff as far as increases in pensions are concerned, have not received increases due to them in line with the existing agreement.)

In the light of this it is difficult to see how workers can place faith in these kind of wage agreements if supposed ``champions'' of the working class in the form of Democratic Left and the Labour Party, as well as their Trade Union backers, are stabbing in the back those whose interests they supposedly represent.

It must amuse as well as sadden anybody who sees these hypocrites pay lip service to the celebration of Jim Larkin at invitation-only gatherings in Liberty Hall.

Peter Moore,
Dublin

Information wanted

A Chairde,

I am doing research on an uncle of mine who died in the Civil War in 1922, and seek help and information please.

His name was William Moran, born 1902, at Carracastle, Bohola, Claremorris, County Mayo. He served with the East Mayo Brigade, IRA, and took the Republican side during the Civil War.

He died in an incident on 28 June 1922 in Kiltimagh Town, County Mayo.

His name is on the memorial erected near Kilkelly, County Mayo along with 14 others who died for the Irish republic 16 January 1923.

I would be grateful for any information or advice.

Patrick Moran,
112 Meadow Park,
Churchtown,

Dublin 14.

Anti-independence

A Chairde,

I am a young republican and after reading an article by John A. Murphy, a Professor of Irish History in University College, Cork, in the Sunday Independent (26 January) I am enraged by the insults and the mockery which he made of the Republican Movement, our brave comrades and anyone with a republican view.

He writes: ``Only the politically retarded and the ideological malcontents refuse to recognise the state. They nurture fantasies about restoring an all-Ireland republic''. He also says, ``Is it not time in this 75th anniversary year of independence to rid ourselves of this fantasy?''

Who gave this man the right to mock our heroes who gave their lives and are still willing to give their lives for our right to have our land free from foreign invasion?

He goes on to insult the nationalist people of the Six Counties, saying ``Do we in this excessively bureauctratic small island really need another complicated and expensive overlay of cross-border institutions, just to indulge the ideological whims of a few and appease a threatening minority?''

It is a disgrace that he calls himself a Professor of Irish History.

Shane Galligan,
Cavan.