It’s
only a week or two ago since we predicted that the current crisis in Ireland would
unleash a whole series of defensive struggles as the bosses attempt to make us
pay for their crisis. The fact is that, although the Irish economy is rapidly
heading towards the rocks and Brian Cowen and the bosses are sharpening their
knives for cuts in wages and redundancies, the Irish working class was
immeasurably strengthened during the years of the so called Celtic Tiger. As
the saying goes you can peel an onion skin by skin, but you can’t skin a tiger
claw by claw.
Events
in Waterford
are a prime example of this. The threat of 480 redundancies, and just as
importantly the resulting loss of 300,000 visitors every year, has generated a
clear and determined answer from the Waterford workers and from the working
people of the area.
The
initial reason behind the occupation was the threat by the receiver David
Carson to make 480 workers redundant. The likelihood was that shutting the
factory down for a time would give the bosses free rein to employ whoever they
chose. This was happening while negotiations continued with two US companies
KPS and Clarion Capital – who have the ex Chief Exec of the company on board.
The
negotiations, which have included the Taoiseach’s department, ICTU and UNITE –
who organise 90% of the workforce – appear to have been quite thorough with a
bid having been put in by Clarion. But the occupation is solid with some 300
workers involved. 800 current and former workers attended the meeting to
discuss the current state of play, and in particular the effect on their
pensions of the current crisis. The Irish government may be liable to
underwrite the pensions as a consequence of their failure to implement a pension
protection agreement made by the EU.
It’s
apparent that the workers have mass support. This is clear from the attendance
at Saturday afternoon’s rally which was attended by 2,000 people. It’s also
obvious from the food and supplies that are being shipped in from outside. The
mood is angry, and rightly so. The most likely outcome of a capitalist buy out
will be the gutting of the company and the asset stripping of all the
profitable bits of the business.
At
the same time however, the risk remains that the bosses could try to undermine
the occupation. The union leaders are, correctly, involved in negotiations with
the receiver, but deals over redundancy and pension guarantees (particularly
for the older workers with the longest service) could have the effect of
weakening the movement unless the union takes a clear position. At present the
main thrust of the union seems to be to attract a new buyer. Some weasel voices
have already begun to complain about the workers’ action, saying it will have a
negative effect.
But
Waterford is stacking up to be a battle. There’s a strong and militant response
from the workers, an unpopular government who’ve just bailed out the banks and
a bunch of asset strippers. It’s frankly no surprise that the idea of
nationalising the company has gained an echo. After all, the government has
just nationalised Anglo Irish Bank.
This
occupation represents a crossroads for the Irish trade union movement and the
working class. A clear call for the nationalisation of the company under
workers’ control and management, backed up by the full support of the working
class would strike a blow at the Irish bosses’ plans. It would represent a
beacon to the whole movement in Ireland
and would have a big effect internationally.
