textfiles/politics/SPUNK/sp000378.txt

	Workers Solidarity No. 42
	 Irish Anarchist Paper

              Net addition

This is the first part of the latest issue of Workers Solidarity, 
produced by the Irish anarchist group, the Workers Solidarity 
Movement.  We are changing the format for this posting to 
two parts consisting of short articles and then posting longer
 related articles separately.  They should arrive on this 
list/newsgroup over the next few days.  Some lists/
newsgroups will only get postings relevant to them.  To
get other parts reply to this address with a request or
watch out for them on alt.society.anarchy between the
13th and 24th of June.


The parts and their contents are.

Workers Solidarity 42 (Editorial and shorts) 1/6    <-This mailing

   For starters
   That's Capitalism
   Stake your claim to cash
   PLC students demand grants
   Telethon - A hypocritical sham
   If the cops don't like you
   French show how to fight... and win!
   Bosnia, Rwanda and UN intervention.

Workers Solidarity 42 (More shorts) 2/6

   Significant minority say NO to union leaders
   Don't vote...it only encourages them
   Letter
   Prepare to Sink the service charges
   Find Out More

WS 42 Gay Pride 3/6

   Loud and Proud
   The reasons Emmet Stagg should resign

WS 42  Ireland, Sinn Fein and the peace talks. 4/6

   Yes to peace

WS 42 Year of the Family 5/6

   Parents, puritans and poverty
   Gas masks and pantyhose

WS 42 Evolution and revolution 6/6


                    For Starters

THE CHANGE from a magazine to newspaper format reflects 
the increased readership Workers Solidarity is building 
up. It will take a few issues before we iron out all 
problems involved in changing our printing process but 
we hope you will bear with us. None of us is a 
professional journalist or designer. This issue was 
produced by a gardener, a couple of office workers, a 
teacher, a researcher, three unemployed people and a 
student. 

If you like what we are saying, we would like your 
help. We need your reports. Tell us what is happening 
on your job, in your neighbourhood. Write a report, or 
a letter. This paper will only improve if more of you 
write for it, sell it, show a copy to your friends. 

As we go to press final plans are being made for 
'Revolution', a day of public meetings and debates in 
Dublin about libertarian socialism. With the collapse 
of both the Eastern Bloc and social democracy's radical 
pretensions it becomes increasingly important to 
explain that the ideals of socialism are not dead, that 
there is a libertarian alternative. The Workers 
Solidarity Movement is co-operating with Organise! (an 
anarcho-syndicalist group based in the Belfast/Bangor 
area), Red Action and the Class War Federation in this 
venture. We hope that it will be but the first such 
event where libertarian socialists of various 
traditions can discuss and debate turning our ideas 
into reality.

In Cork we have been working with 'Justice Now', which 
is campaigning against the #1,600 worth of fines 
imposed on members of the Socialist Alliance for 
putting up Troops Out posters and ones with an abortion 
information telephone number. We also helped in the 
campaign to stop big business and hoteliers preventing 
the building of a new Simon Community hostel for the 
homeless.

In Dublin the WSM has started a series of anarchist 
discussion meetings for readers. With the rise of far-
right movements throughout Europe, and the disturbingly 
high vote achieved by the MSI/National Alliance in the 
Italian general election, it was appropriate that one 
of these was about fascism and how to beat it. Another 
marked the 75th anniversary of the Limerick 'Soviet', 
when that city was taken over by the workers as part of 
their fight against British militarism. 

In March we published a pamphlet about the fascist 
threat in Europe, which was sold in cinema queues where 
Schlinder's List was showing. We also participated in 
the Anti-Nazi League demonstration, which brought about 
500 onto the streets to make it clear that while there 
are few fascists in Ireland we intend to keep it that 
way.


                        That's Capitalism!

*****

In spite of the Employment Equality Act and the Anti-
Discrimination (Pay) Act many employers still get away 
with treating women workers worse than male employees. 
More than fifteen years after the introduction of equal 
pay laws in the 26 counties, women workers earn only 
62% of men's average earnings. On an hourly basis they 
are paid, on average, #2 less. 

*****

60% of the tax relief in the 26 counties on mortgage 
interest and VHI premiums goes to the top 20% of 
earners. Only 5% goes to the bottom half.

*****

While workers' pay rises were kept down to the the PESP 
level, there were no restraints on the rich. Last year 
executive directors averaged 12% and shareholders 
13.4%. The seven AIB executive directors averaged 
#526,666 each, earning more per hour than most workers 
get for a week.

*****

Of the #530 million the Child Support Agency hopes to 
get from 'absent' fathers in Britain and the North, 
just #50 million will go to mothers and their children. 
The rest will go the government Treasury. So much for 
the Tories' claim last year that the Agency would be a 
major help to mothers and children

*****

According to the Irish Times industrial correspondent, 
Jackie Gallagher, #250,000 was spent during the 
negotiations on the Programme for Competitiveness & 
Work. Twenty union officials turned up each day. Most 
of them "spent their time playing cards, having quizes 
and on one occasion having a sing song". Snacks 
included steak sandwiches. Wine was served with the 
meals. Indeed the drinks facility had to be cut off at 
one stage because so much was being consumed.

*****

Having being conned into accepting wage rises that may 
not even keep up with inflation (the PCW), workers now 
see top professionals get much bigger increases. The 
current chief executive of Telecom, Fergus McGovern, 
gets #70,000 a year. The maximum laid down in the 
Gleeson guidelines for top public servants pay is 
#81,000 (six times the average industrial wage). The 
new chief executive will be hired as a 'consultant', 
which will allow him to be paid 'fees' of over 
#100,000. Peter Owen, the new Aer Lingus chief 
executive is also a 'consultant', and the same will 
probably happen at the National Treasury Management 
Agency which was set up outside the control of the 
Central Bank so that its senior employees would not be 
bound by the Gleeson guidelines.

*****
According to the MSF union 14% of the workforce in the 
26 counties earn less than #115 per week. Of full-time 
employees who earn less than #3 per hour 16% of them 
work in the very profitable banking, finance and 
insurance sector.

                    Stake your claim to cash

WAGES COUNCILS in Northern Ireland (and Britain) have 
been abolished by the Tory government. For years they 
set minimum pay rates in some of the traditionally low 
paid industries like catering. As of last February 7th 
they are no more. 

However the Wages Inspectorate will continue to 
investigate complaints and order payments of back money 
until August 6th of this year. After that date you will 
no longer be allowed to recover the wages that you were 
legally entitled to.

Earlier this year the Law Centre in Derry helped a 
bakery worker to get #4,500 in back pay. If you suspect 
that you may have been covered by a minimum wage order 
but paid less than the legal rate contact the Belfast 
Law Centre (tel: 321307) or the Derry Law Centre (tel: 
262433). They can advise you how to get your cash 
before it's too late.

                 PLC students demand grants

STUDENTS from low income backgrounds are having to drop 
out of their studies. If you are doing a Post-Leaving 
Certificate course you get no grant. Nothing at all. A 
survey in Ballyfermot Senior College found that 48% of 
these students have to work long hours after lectures 
to find the cash to keep them in college. 97% said that 
their jobs interfered with their course work. Not 
everyone can burn the candle at both ends. Some 
students are finding it impossible to study and then 
work twenty or more hours each week.

Because these students are mainly working class the 
government cares even less about them than it does 
about other students. They are not all taking it lying 
down. There has already been a march of about 100 to 
the Dail. Students from Ballyfermot, Colaiste Dhulaigh, 
Portlaoise and six other colleges have kicked off a 
campaign. Students in RTC's, DIT and universities get 
grants. PLC students have a good case, they are the 
only post-second level students who are allowed 
nothing.

In the autumn the campaign for grants should be re-
launched. It has already gained support from the 
Teachers Union of Ireland and the Dublin Council of 
Trade Unions.
 
                 Telethon - A hypocritical sham

ON FRIDAY MAY 20th, starting at 3 pm., R.T.E. will 
broadcast over 10 hours of the "People in Need" 
Telethon. All over the country people will - with the 
very best of intentions - organise fund-raising events 
to raise money for "the poor". There are two main 
reasons why we feel the Telethon should be opposed 

Charity - no matter how well intentioned - cannot solve 
the poverty crisis. Poverty is caused by the unjust 
social and economic policies of successive governments 
which place profits before people. It cannot be 
challenged by any amount of charity but only through 
serious and thorough political change. Events such as 
the Telethon serve only to deflect attention from this 
fact and from the fact that essential services should 
not have to depend on charity provision for their 
survival.

-> A glance at the list of trustees of the "People in 
Need" organisation is indeed very revealing. It 
includes such illustrious names as - Margaret Heffernan 
(personnel director of Dunnes Stores), Noel Gilmore 
(managing director of Gilmore Communications), Charles 
Kenny (chair, Clancourt Management), Norman Kilroy 
(managing director, Grafton Group). As directors of 
prominent private sector Irish companies, all of these 
people have a vested interest in maintaining the status 
quo. Margaret Heffernan, for example, contributes 
greatly to the creation of poverty through Dunnes 
Stores' policy of low wages and part-time workers.

The involvement of these people is pure hypocrisy and 
an attempt to salve their own consciences and gain a 
few "brownie points" for "charitable deeds". Trade 
unionists should be asking themselves why the name of 
Billy Attley appears on this list of trustees, although 
it is no surprise to us that Attley would find more in 
common with these bosses than with their exploited 
workforces. This telethon is just a sham.

                 If the cops don't like you

YOU DON'T have to break the law to get hassled by the 
gardai. The Class War Federation planned a small public 
meeting, entitled "the politics behind the anger", in a 
Dublin pub last March. This group, who describe 
themselves as "communists", have gained lots of media 
coverage in Britain by organising publicity stunts like 
their 'Bash the Rich' marches (where no rich people got 
bashed!) and publishing a poster of a cemetery with the 
caption "we have found new homes for the rich".

As soon as advertising for their meeting appeared 
Progressive Democrat TD Michael McDowell got on to the 
Evening Press demanding that the Minister for Justice 
investigate with a view to taking action against them 
under the Offences Against the State Act. 
The gardai then visited the pub owner and "advised" 
him that the meeting should not be allowed to go ahead. 
They also "advised" him that another small group, the 
marxist Red Action, should not be allowed to hire 
rooms. Not wishing to fall foul of the guardians of the 
peace he cancelled Class War's booking. [The meeting 
went ahead in another pub].

Class War is not a banned organisation. Red Action 
is not a banned organisation. They are every bit as 
legal as any other political grouping. But if the cops 
don't like you they are free to ignore your democratic 
'right' to organise and explain your views. Hurrah for 
democracy!

Meanwhile in Cork they prosecuted Sinn Fein member 
Paul Walsh on a charge of membership of the IRA. Their 
evidence was that he possessed a republican song book 
that is legally on sale and a republican calendar that 
is also legally on sale. Added to this was the word of 
a senior guard that he believed Walsh to be in the IRA, 
but he couldn't tell the Court why he believed this.
This was good enough for the juryless Special 
Criminal Court. It found him guilty but then, in an 
unusual twist, deferred sentence. Why?
Paul Walsh has been active in Sinn Fein in Cork for 
years. This was the real target of the Special Branch. 
Over the years harassment has been fairly routine. Now 
the Branch have been given a new licence. Walsh has 
been released but only on condition that he "considers 
his position and adjusts his way of life."

 Anytime the Branch want they can apply to have his 
sentence enforced. Which is the best of both worlds for 
them. They don't have to pay the cost of imprisoning 
him but they still have a hold on his political 
activity. A sign of what's to come? Another hurrah for 
democracy!

              French show how to fight... and win!

PRIME MINISTER Edouard Balladur and his government have 
been in retreat over the last six months as the people 
of France take to the streets to demonstrate their 
anger at new policies. The government has backed down 
on Air France (see last issue of WS), on extra funds 
for church schools and with the fishermen. The turn of 
the students of France came when the government 
proposed to cut the miniumm wage by 20% for people 
under 26. 

The original plans were to have wages ranging from 30% 
to 80% of the minimun wage. It was a move caculated to 
pitch old against young. The bosses would now be able 
to make a saving of 20% by laying off anyone over 26 
and taking on those younger. As one protest sign read 
"I've got a job, Dad, It's yours."

In France over 750,000 people under 25 are without a 
job and one in four school leavers have no chance of 
finding work. The move to cut wages has now been 
dropped but the struggles continue. On March 29th a 
student union leader, Bob Injey, said of the government 
"Basically, they all end up trying to jusify lower pay 
for young people,". Balladur had to cancel a planned TV 
address on that day to 'celebrate' one year of the 
right being in power because of the unrest.

Over 200,000 people marched in protest throughout 
France on March 26th. Calls have been issued by the 
Student Unions and the CGT Trade Union calling for 
further demonstations. The range of demands encompassed 
by the protesters has broadened. Two Arab students were 
arrested and deported to Algeria. The youth and student 
movement saw this as a racist attack on the right to 
demonstrate and called for their return.

In Lyon as many marched as did in Paris. The 
demonstators said they were demonstating "opposition to 
the the youth minimum wage" and that they were " 
"marching against a police state." Signs were present 
reading "Solidarity with foreigners" and "Free our 
Comrades".

Seven hours of street fighting took place with the 
police in Nante after a demonstration on March 24th. 
The cops poisoned the air with so much tear gas that 
they had to seek more from the city of Rennes. The 
protesters replied with "rocks, smoke bombs and flare 
pistols besides blocking the streets with burning 
barricades." (Le Monde 26.3.94)

The rage and anger of the young is back where it 
belongs, on the streets. The support of the workers is 
coming onto their side and new demands are being 
raised. These are fearful times for the government in 
France and inspiring to those who have chosen to fight 
back. Balladur and his buddies are taking some blows. 
The people are delievering some heavy punches to his 
policy plans and if this level of action can be 
sustained,hopefully, the govenment will end up where 
they all belong, on the ropes.

Dermot Sreenan

               Bosnia, Rwanda and UN intervention.

The WSM has always said socialists should not support 
any intervention by the UN anywhere. What is currently 
happening in Bosnia and Rwanda demonstrates the reasons 
why we should not call on theUN to intervene.

In Europe most people have favoured intervention from 
an early period in ex-Yugoslavia. Initially this would 
have been in the support of Croatia, now it would be 
for Bosnia. Yet despite the popular acclaim such 
intervention would receive (in its early days), it has 
not happened. Why? Because our rulers have decided it 
is not in their interests to do so.

The TV coverage in Ireland of Bosnia and Rwanda has 
been horrific. It included footage of people being 
clubbed to death within about 300m of UN forces and 
also of an incident where a woman was dragged past UN 
soldiers to be hacked to death with a machette. They 
just stood and watched. The only role the UN has played 
has been to evacuate (white) Europeans. This is also an 
instance where UN intervention would have been very 
popular. Yet it has not happened.

The UN did intervene in Somalia, to popular acclaim 
initially but now many would see intervention as having 
been a disaster. Apart from the direct killing of an 
estimated 10,000 Somalia's by UN forces (UN figure) it 
would seem that intervention has further de- stabilised 
the country. The UN intervened there, not because it 
was popular (intervention in Yugoslavia would be more 
popular for racist reasons), but because the ruling 
class decided. Intervention was in its interests.

Basically the UN will only intervene when the various 
ruling blocks consider it in their interests to do so. 
It is not responsive to popular pressure in any real 
respect. Those who are calling for intervention in 
Bosnia are wasting their energy, it's like calling on 
Dick Spring to protect the working class. And like 
this, not only is it a waste of energy but it is also 
creating an illusion that the UN is a potentially 
neutral force rather than something owned & controlled 
by the ruling class.

The price for this illusion will be paid in blood 
later, both by working class Western troops and the 
populations they will be sent to slaughter. If people 
believe that the UN is a neutral peace-keeping force 
(if a bit weak willed), which is the image being 
projected, then winning opposition to future Desert 
Storms will be that bit more difficult. Another reason 
why we should oppose all Western military intervention.

So what is the solution? That's a fair question and it 
is one to which there is no simple answer. We'd like to 
be able to say form multi-ethnic workers militias in 
former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and use these to smash the 
genocidal ruling classes and stop ethnic cleansing. Of 
course we know this is not going to happen in the near 
future. The left (or rather those living in former 
Yugoslavia and Rwanda) are paying the price for 
charging down the dead ends of Leninism and social 
democracy for the last 70 years. Let's be honest, a 
decade ago many 'socialists' would have seen those who 
engineered the Yugoslav war as being 'socialist' or at 
least being more progressive than rulers in the West.

What we can do is give aid to the peace movements in 
the various republics and support the 'workers aid' 
initiatives that have been delivering medical goods and 
foodstuffs to some of the encircled towns. We can 
oppose all UN involvement, including the arms embargo. 
We can be sure that any settlement engineered by the UN 
would be in its interests alone. We can also counteract 
the racist portrayal of ordinary Serbians in the 
western press. In short our role is one of supporting 
the trade union and peace movements while opposing any 
intervention by our ruling class.

Hardly satisfactory, UN intervention holds up the 
(false) promise of ending the war while we have no such 
quick solutions. This underlines the urgency for the 
left to reconstruct itself along new lines, one that 
takes workers' democracy as the central point of 
socialism. The best of that tradition is found in 
Anarchism. As long as capitalism exists we can be sure 
to see more Yugoslavia's and Rwanda's. Right now we 
have to work out and win support for methods that will 
really deliver an alternative.

Joe Black

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Workers Solidarity Movement can be contacted at 
     PO Box 1528, Dublin 8, Ireland

Some of our material is available via the Spunk press electronic archive

             by FTP to etext.archive.umich.edu or 141.211.164.18
              or by gopher ("gopher etext.archive.umich.edu")

in the directory /pub/Politics/Spunk/texts/groups/WSM
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