The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is urging all workers and youth to take part in a national demonstration on November 27 in Dublin, in defence of jobs, wages and services.
ICTU President Jack O’Connor said: ‘The government has promised the harshest budget since the foundation of the state as its parting gift to the people of Ireland.
‘This is the result of allowing speculators, bankers and developers to run riot, pillaging and ruining our economy.
‘They capped it all by including useless banking institutions in the credit guarantee scheme on September 29, 2008, thus mortgaging the future of everyone who lives in Ireland.
‘We are told the impending draconian budget is essential to convince investors in the bond markets to lend us the money to run the country.
‘This is exactly the same as what we were told last year when a cut of four billion euros was inflicted. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. It doesn’t work.
‘More businesses closed, more people lost their jobs and the economy recorded no growth whatsoever. It didn’t work in the bond markets either and borrowing rates have escalated.
‘The bond buyers don’t care whether we eat caviar for the next four years or starve to death.’
He warned: ‘Our national sovereignty is at stake as a result of the government’s policies.
‘The EU is insisting on reduction of the gap between our state revenue and spending to three per cent of GDP by 2014. This is a virtually impossible target because it restricts the capacity for growth.
‘However, if we disregard it there is a real danger that the European Central Bank will stop funding our domestic banks, resulting in a total collapse.’
He added: ‘Already, unbridled free-marketeers in the EU are insisting on restructuring our labour market, i.e. curtailment of people’s rights at work, social welfare entitlements, etc.’
He insisted: ‘The key to recovery is a credible plan for job creation to inspire hope and confidence. This cannot be accomplished without an intelligent strategy for investment.’
Calling for pension funds to be used to ‘fund new projects and businesses’, he added: ‘The people cannot be expected to endure misery whilst those who contributed most to the cause of the problem go on living pretty much as they always have.
‘It is time to insist on taxing the greedy not the needy.’
O’Connor concluded: ‘We must not stand idly by while the final nail is driven into the coffin.’
