Belfast communists salute all the health workers who this week took their place in the ranks of those saying ‘we demand better’ through strike action.
The enthusiasm and active commitment to pushing back and moving forward by strikers across a wide range of sectors in recent months is in stark contrast to the stagnant politics of the Assembly seen yet again in the recent round-table talks between local political parties and the Secretary of State.
Strikers are not waiting around for a visit from Rishi Sunak or to see who blinks first up at Stormont.
Faced with declining standards of living, erosion of wages and conditions and the running down of public services in the interests of privitisation and obscene profits, strikers across NI range have shown their resolve to push back and take on the British Tory lies that ‘we are all in this together’ and ‘there is not alternative’
Strikers are driving change from below through united collective action – single union action, rolling programmes across sectors, same day strikes, days of action and ‘stay a ways’ all have a place in making immediate gains.
They also provide the energy needed by the NIC ICTU “We Demand Better” campaign with its strategic goal of rebalancing power and wealth in NI in the interests of working people and their families.
Communists call on NIC ICTU and Belfast Trades Union Council to convene as a matter of urgency the promised ‘town hall’ meeting in Belfast and make it a massive display of solidarity, helping to co-ordinate and drive forward the strike movement and its community support.
Pressure needs to be put on the political parties, so quick to express concern for their constituents struggling with the cost of living crisis, to actively organise support for all those on strike in the face of employer and government intransigence.
John Pinkerton, Secretary, Greater Belfast Branch, Communist Party of Ireland
