Divide and Conquer

Blissett
Ógra Shinn Féin

A house divided against itself cannot stand - Abraham Lincoln

Last week the government stretched in to the pockets of the public service and inflicted a de facto pay cut on the teachers nurses and postal workers of this state, by placing a levy on their pensions.

An obsequious attitude towards IBEC and their proposals from led to the trade unions rejecting an unacceptable package in the social partnership talks.

On Wednesday last the government laid this plan before the oireachtas, as Brian Cowen railroaded this through regardless of the misgivings of the unions, and showing a flagrant disregard for the health of public services, and a great deal of disdain for the workers of the state.

There is understandable anger at this. And yet many workers see this as not their concern. Why is this?

The media and the government have carefully cultivated division among Irish workers. Countless articles and columns drill into us that there is an unanswerable case for cuts in wages that our public service costs too much.

This is of course only the first step. This evening Billy Kelleher indicated that the minimum wage will be re-examined – i.e. reduced. While we plough money into the banks, our press insists on willfully ignoring the failure of the government to place the blame where it truly lies and instead insists on attempting to sow antipathy between public sector and private sector workers, so that they will not unite against a common enemy.

Distressingly, they have been extremely successful. Now while the ICTU and various public sector unions consider there options, there greatest concern is that there is little or no public support for industrial action.

This is, unfortunately, unsurprising. Disunity has forever been the downfall of workers.

See further – the beginning of section II of Socialism made easy:

http://www.rcgfrfi.easynet.co.uk/ww/connolly/1909-sme.htm

From scab labour to internal union bickering, to the present fallacy being pushed by the press, the capitalists know that as long as the working class (by which I mean all working people) remain divided, they need not fear.

However I do not intend to be fatalistic.

If the people can be united behind a republican banner, then the country may be altered forever, and a historic opportunity. Lets look at the most recent events for last Wednesday may well have been a far more significant day for Irish politics than it initially appears. Fianna Fáil, for all their venal and dislikeable aspects, were always tremendously skilful at garnering loyalty from certain significant sectors of society.

The elderly, in many places, was one. Much of this loyalty may well have been undone by the medical cards fiasco. On Wednesday, Fianna Fáil may well have lost another solid ally. The public service, like the elderly, vote.

The vast, vast majority of them will cast a vote in June. Many of them, who have voted Fianna Fáil their entire adult lives, are now questioning whether or not they shall ever vote for them again. Many of them will look at the alternatives. What about Fine Gael?

Perhaps many will vote for Fine Gael, but they would probably not be well advised to do so, the ‘slash and burn’ talk coming from Varadkar and Bruton thinly veiled as ‘reform’ as regards public services surely should give voters cause for concern. Perhaps the public sector will finally recognise its allies.

I would suggest that many of the hundreds of thousands of people employed by the state will now be forced to look to parties they previously would never have considered. Labour, Green Party and Sinn Féin.

You can count the greens out, as their supine performance in government so far has surely discount any possibility of a protest vote ending up there. I think it’s between us and Labour to pick up those votes. But for us to win that battle, a full and frank reappraisal of our policies must be undertaken.

If a coherent alternative voice can present itself now, then the shape of politics in the 26 counties could be altered permanently. This voice must convince the public and the working people of the need for unity, it must be clear that there can be no cut in the minimum wage nor in jobseekers allowance, it must be clear that frontline public services must not suffer because of the largesse of the private sector.

It must be clear that the wealthy must be forced to pay their way, and must not be frightened of using taxation to maintain an adequate standard of living for the people. It must not be timid statements in policy documents, or vague answers in interviews.



It must be shouted from the rooftops, made as crystal clear as possible and stated as often as possible, so that it becomes clear to all who will defend the workers. It must unite the people.

That voice must be ours!