sHopflooR MAndAte tRAde union
MARCH 2012
439,600 k r o w t u o h it w e r a emigrated 76,000 in last year
JOBS PlaN ‘DelUSIONal’ Same old, same old: The Coalition Government’s much publicised jobs plan falls well short of what is needed
THE Government must act in the best interests of its citizens and not on behalf of the bankers and speculators who have wreaked havoc on this society. Mandate general secretary John Douglas made the call as ministers launched an Action Plan for Jobs last month. He described the initiative – which aims to create 100,000 jobs by 2016 – as “delusional”. “They plan to do this within existing, significantly reduced budgets while lining up at least two more austerity budgets.” This would, Mr Douglas warned, further drive down domestic
We need real stimulus package demand, increase unemployment and perpetuate “an ever shrinking economy”. “While Ireland burns on its bonfire of debt, the Government launches a jobs initiative that is significantly lacking in imagination and with little or no new innovative ideas. It’s the same old same old – to coin a phrase.” Mr Douglas reiterated Mandate’s view that job creation and growth remained the “vital medicines” that
would nurse Ireland back to economic recovery. He said: “We now have close to half a million people on the dole with many families barely scrapping by to maintain dignity and self-respect. “This is happening while our political masters continue to feed more good money after bad into the black hole of failed banks here in Ireland and also to greedy bondholders who gambled and lost yet still get paid by Irish workers and
society.” Against this backdrop, 76,000 people had emigrated in the last year alone in search of a better future. A total of 1,640 companies have been declared bankrupt and thousands more businesses are in dire straits. Mr Douglas said: “Long term unemployment has increased by 14.5% to nearly 200,000 people – and that simply is a national disgrace.” He called for funds that were being used to prop up “failed banks
and gambling bondholders” to be directed instead to invest in people. This would create “a real and effective jobs stimulus package”. Mr Douglas added: “Emigration is now sadly once more in vogue for our young people desperate to find work but not desperate enough to work as free labour for profitable multinationals for what amounts to slave labour wages on government initiatives such as the JobBridge scheme. “What a legacy they are building. Our legacy will be to fight back by organising and campaigning. If we tolerate this, then our children will be next!”