Jolly Red Giant
30th October 2014, 20:24
Working class people in Ireland are in open revolt against attempts by the Irish government to impose water charges of about €500 per year.
After six years of austerity working class people in Ireland are on the move. There has been a major change in the outlook of people and thousands are taking to the streets and organising in communities to oppose further austerity.
Two weeks ago the Anti-Austerity Alliance won a stunning victory in a parliamentary by-election when Socialist Party member and former MEP, Paul Murphy, won the seat standing on a platform of mass non-payment of the water charges.
dIybAdhYvuc
The same day as the by-election victory more than 100,000 people took to the streets of government to protest against water charges.
HwdGc1sdc9s
Throughout the country communities are mobilising to resist the installation of water meters
8pXcJUR-21s
Deputy Prime Minister and Labour leader Joan Burton made an ass of herself in parliament when she spoke about the protests and the fact that people were using mobile phones to video the antics of the water company and the police.
9HIUImMhG-k
This led to people on protest marches chanting "here comes Joan, get your phone"
Street meeting are being held around the country
Ej0Vgrw9PAM
Dozens of organising meetings have taken place with large numbers attending
OgD29KWyM6E
Protest marches are taking place around the country like this one last Saturday in Limerick when more than 10,000 marched against water charges
SVsMWhIuaOo
Next Saturday an umbrella campaign group backed by 5 national trade unions are organising protest marches in almost 100 different locations around Ireland with thousands expected to attend.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1030/655833-irish-water/
A decisive debate is now underway within the campaign movement over whether to build a campaign of mass non-payment - working class people instinctively know that mass non-payment is the best tactic to defeat this austerity tax and prevent the privatisation of water. Many on the left are hesitant about calling for mass non-payment and are abandoning their responsibility to assist working class people to fight. Indeed Sinn Fein who claim to be opposed to water charges are actively campaigning against non-payment. They realise that a victory for non-payment will result in Sinn Fein being outflanked on the left and damage their strategy of getting into power with one of the establishment parties after the next election. The "We Won't Pay" Campaign initiated by the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the Socialist Party is proving to be the most effective at mobilising working class people int he fight against these charges.
The scale of the opposition is greater than anything witnessed in Ireland since the foundation of the state. The water charges are now regarded as the Irish Poll Tax. The pro-IMF/ECB government of Fin Gael and Labour are on the ropes and this protest movement will deliver a knockout blow.
After six years of austerity working class people in Ireland are on the move. There has been a major change in the outlook of people and thousands are taking to the streets and organising in communities to oppose further austerity.
Two weeks ago the Anti-Austerity Alliance won a stunning victory in a parliamentary by-election when Socialist Party member and former MEP, Paul Murphy, won the seat standing on a platform of mass non-payment of the water charges.
dIybAdhYvuc
The same day as the by-election victory more than 100,000 people took to the streets of government to protest against water charges.
HwdGc1sdc9s
Throughout the country communities are mobilising to resist the installation of water meters
8pXcJUR-21s
Deputy Prime Minister and Labour leader Joan Burton made an ass of herself in parliament when she spoke about the protests and the fact that people were using mobile phones to video the antics of the water company and the police.
9HIUImMhG-k
This led to people on protest marches chanting "here comes Joan, get your phone"
Street meeting are being held around the country
Ej0Vgrw9PAM
Dozens of organising meetings have taken place with large numbers attending
OgD29KWyM6E
Protest marches are taking place around the country like this one last Saturday in Limerick when more than 10,000 marched against water charges
SVsMWhIuaOo
Next Saturday an umbrella campaign group backed by 5 national trade unions are organising protest marches in almost 100 different locations around Ireland with thousands expected to attend.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1030/655833-irish-water/
A decisive debate is now underway within the campaign movement over whether to build a campaign of mass non-payment - working class people instinctively know that mass non-payment is the best tactic to defeat this austerity tax and prevent the privatisation of water. Many on the left are hesitant about calling for mass non-payment and are abandoning their responsibility to assist working class people to fight. Indeed Sinn Fein who claim to be opposed to water charges are actively campaigning against non-payment. They realise that a victory for non-payment will result in Sinn Fein being outflanked on the left and damage their strategy of getting into power with one of the establishment parties after the next election. The "We Won't Pay" Campaign initiated by the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the Socialist Party is proving to be the most effective at mobilising working class people int he fight against these charges.
The scale of the opposition is greater than anything witnessed in Ireland since the foundation of the state. The water charges are now regarded as the Irish Poll Tax. The pro-IMF/ECB government of Fin Gael and Labour are on the ropes and this protest movement will deliver a knockout blow.