The
Thomas Cook workers who occupied their shop in Dublin for four days have now been
released by the High Court having “purged their contempt”. But it’s
going to take more than that to purge the contempt that many workers
will feel for bosses who were prepared to use the law courts and, 80
heavy handed gards who turned up at 5am – when they thought there
wouldn’t be an audience, to manhandle the 27 workers down to the
courts. If ever anyone needed convincing of the way that the state
apparatus acts in the interests of the bosses then this is a perfect
example.
Thomas
Cook made millions during the good years, its chief executive got £7
million sterling last year, but the company claims they cannot pay
decent redundancy payments. These workers have been very brave and
fought back. The state chose the non negotation path. Although we are
sure no one will be prepared to stand up and say “we refuse to
negotiate with travel agents”. Those arrested were charged with
contempt of court. Contempt that is for bosses law in a bourgeois court.
Unite
has called the removal of workers from the Thomas Cook store
“a dark stain on the history of industrial relations in Ireland.” Jimmy
Kelly said, “These are ordinary working people standing up for their
rights … They have a right to be treated with respect and for their
employer to hold to a standard of engagement that in this case has
merely been cast aside."
But
as we have pointed out in numerous articles the events in Grafton
Street reflect the new, changed outlook of the ruling class in Ireland
and internationally. The old days of “social partnership” and of
relatively social peace have gone the way of the Celtic Tiger. If the
bosses are prepared to send Gardaí snatch squads into Thomas Cooks on
Grafton Street then surely its time the trade union leaders wake up to
the idea that the only way to stop the bosses onslaught is through
militant trade union action. Militant action to defend workers living
standards and livelihoods.
Jack
O’Connor made some very telling points the other day when he said that
the trade union leaders had allowed themselves to be humiliated by the
government in the never ending “talks about talks about talks”
Even
in the good time companies don’t act on good will, rather they act
according to getting as much money in the pocket as they can. If they
are in a position of power they will squeeze the workers, paying the
minimum wage, or even less if they can get away with it. The first
thing that employers say when there is a strike is that they won’t
negotiate until the workers go back to work. That is what union busting
manuals say. So, don’t listen to the union busters.
The
working class have demonstrated time and time again that they are
prepared to stand up for themselves. The struggles at Thomas Cook, the
Dublin Port, the civil servants, The bus drivers, Galway council, the
Bin workers, Waterford Crystal, Swissco and of course the Electricians
are fine examples of the capacity of working people fighting back. The
monster demonstration in February against the ditching of the national
pay agreement and the levy demonstrates the potential strength of the
working class if it is united in generalised action.
We’ve
argued that the working class was immensely strengthened during the
period of the celtic tiger, the economy doubled in size between
95-2007, That means that potentially the working class is far stronger
than it was. But if that power is frittered and wasted away by
prevarication and dithering on behalf of the trade union leaders and
Eamon Gilmore’s Labour Party leadership, then they are preparing the
way for a series of defeats. Weakness invites aggression and given the
crisis in the state finances and the general instability in the economy
then the bourgeois will be lining up to heap more and more pressure on
workers.
The
trade union leaders are going to come under enormous pressure, Jack
O’Connor’s remarks show that already, we need to keep up the pressure,
and patiently explain our ideas to the most self sacrificing and ardent
trade unionists and the youth. Only the mass organisations of the
working calss armed with a clear socialist programme will stop the
bosses in their tracks.
· No job cuts. Nationalise any company making redundancies immediately under workers control and management.
· No wage cuts, make the bosses pay for the crisis, they caused it.
· Nationalise the banks under democratic workers control and management
· For a massive scheme of public investment
· For a socialist plan nationalise the major companies
Article first published on the Fightback site on August 4th
Click here to read a report on the August 4th demo
