May Day solidarity events

SINN FÉIN will continue to campaign for decent wages and conditions of work in all places of work, Workers’ Rights spokesperson Arthur Morgan said in an International May Day message to workers everywhere.
“As workers across the world are celebrating May Day,” Arthur Morgan said, “Irish workers will have little to celebrate. Unemployment continues to escalate and wage reductions are on the agenda of the Government and exploitative employers.”
A number of events took place over last weekend, organised mainly by trade unions, particularly in Belfast and Cork.
A workers’ march organised by the trade union movement to celebrate May Day will take place on Saturday 9 May in Dublin. People are asked to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square at 2pm.

Fire – don’t retire – AIB chiefs

SINN FÉIN has called on the Government to look at bringing legal charges against the three top AIB bank chiefs who announced last week that they are retiring over the summer with generous financial packages after presiding over scandal of the banking crisis. Arthur Morgan TD said they should have been fired, not retired
Deputy Morgan said:
“I’m calling on the Government to prepare a case against these three men through the Attorney General so that they may be hauled before the courts on charges of negligence through reckless lending which contributed to our economy being crippled.
“The public outrage will only be cemented if the practice of giving these bankers golden handshakes is to continue while ordinary working families are on the breadline. Most of these bank executives should be going to a jail cell, not a sunny retirement villa.”

European SME Week, 6 - 14 May

Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún has encouraged local small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and young people to get involved with a range of events to mark European SME week (6 to 14 May). SME Week seeks to provide information about what the EU and regional authorities are offering to support small businesses, to motivate existing SMEs to broaden their horizons and help them grow their business.
There are a number of events to enable local businesses and budding entrepreneurs to float ideas and share their experiences. This initiative will also highlight the role that the EU can play in offering support.
The Six-County MEP said:
“We are facing challenging economic times, not least for our small businesses, whose future is fundamental to the economy. The European Commission’s Economic Recovery Plan includes concrete proposals of particular interest to SMEs and there are real opportunities in developing our green economy.
“How we respond to the challenges facing our small businesses will be crucial. Our small businesses represent 98 per cent of the business environment and employ some half a million people in the North.”

Union suspends official over bus strike

THE National Bus and Rail Union has suspended one of its senior members as part of an investigation into last week’s unofficial strike by Dublin Bus drivers that halted most services for more than two days.
Eugene McDonagh has been suspended from union duties for “unbecoming conduct”. He had acted as a spokesperson for drivers at Harristown Bus Depot who set up pickets at garages across Dublin over changes to their roster.