Conor D McGuinness: Government Siding with Bosses, Not Workers
Conor D McGuinness delivers a May Day address defending the trade union movement and accusing the government of obstructing workers' rights. Speaking from Waterford, he draws on his own union membership and highlights the impact of government decisions on workers facing a deepening cost of living crisis.
Conor D McGuinness highlights the proud trade union tradition of Waterford and his long-standing membership in unions from his teenage years to the Dungarvan branch of Unite the Union. He frames May Day as a moment to recognise those who organised and fought for workers' advances.
McGuinness criticises recent government measures that he says restrict trade unions' ability to gain access to workplaces and represent members. He argues these moves effectively take the government's side with employers and frustrate efforts to increase union density and workplace representation.
The speech links the erosion of workers' rights to a worsening cost of living crisis, citing examples from retail, factories, rescue services and education support roles. McGuinness points to the Debenhams workers and others as illustrations of how government choices affect ordinary workers and families.
McGuinness describes the government's counter motion as shameful and predictable, urging workers to reflect on who genuinely supports their interests as they mark May Day. He positions Sinn Féin members and the opposition as standing with unions while calling out the government's approach.
Trade union tradition and personal roots
Conor D McGuinness highlights the proud trade union tradition of Waterford and his long-standing membership in unions from his teenage years to the Dungarvan branch of Unite the Union. He frames May Day as a moment to recognise those who organised and fought for workers' advances.
Government policy and workplace access
McGuinness criticises recent government measures that he says restrict trade unions' ability to gain access to workplaces and represent members. He argues these moves effectively take the government's side with employers and frustrate efforts to increase union density and workplace representation.
Cost of living and real-world consequences
The speech links the erosion of workers' rights to a worsening cost of living crisis, citing examples from retail, factories, rescue services and education support roles. McGuinness points to the Debenhams workers and others as illustrations of how government choices affect ordinary workers and families.
Political response and accountability
McGuinness describes the government's counter motion as shameful and predictable, urging workers to reflect on who genuinely supports their interests as they mark May Day. He positions Sinn Féin members and the opposition as standing with unions while calling out the government's approach.
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Transcript
As we move towards May Day, we recognise the proud tradition of the trade union movement and all those women and men who have served, who have joined, who have organised. We know as working class people that every time that our class, every time that workers have made an advance, every time that they've made a gain, it's because they've struggled, it's because they've fought for it, it's because they've stood up and were counted. I'm very proud to come from Waterford, a county and a city that is imbued with a strong trade union tradition. I've been a member of a trade union since I was a teenager, Man Day at first and then the ATGW, now Unite, and still very proud to be a member of the Dungarvan branch of Unite the Union. Workers today are under sustained pressure from a deepening cost of living crisis and in that context it's even worse that government is trying to delay, prevaricate and hold back progress. To hold back progress on workers' rights is that trade unions, those who stand up, those people who workers select and elect to stand up for them in the workplace, are not even allowed to get into the workplace to make representations on their behalf, to meet them, to increase union density. That is government taking a side, it's taking the side it has always taken, that is the side of the bosses. We've seen it when it comes to the Debenhams workers in Waterford and across the state, we've seen it when it comes to workers in all types, whether they're working in retail, whether they're working on an abattoir, on a factory floor, whether they're a winch operator in a search and rescue aircraft serving this state, an SNA, it doesn't really matter. Government seems to have the approach that it's always about holding them back, it's always about holding back progress and it's always about frustrating the trade union movement and its ability to do its work and to stand up for workers. So I think it's already been said here but it's shameful the counter motion that has been put forward for government but sadly it's not shocking and it's not surprising and I think workers, as they reflect at the end of this week on May Day, as they reflect on who has their backs, they'll know it's their trade union and they'll know it's here amongst us Sinn Féin members and others in the opposition but they know quite clearly because they see it on both sides of the equation, on the increasing cost, the increasingly difficult nature of life and getting by for workers and families but also on the side where going to work is becoming more and more difficult for those who want to have dignity and fairness in the workplace and that's being made more difficult by you and your government Minister.