People Before Profit Carlow is calling on workers to join a trade union.
Party activists have been taking part in socially-distanced Trade Union Week actions in Carlow as well as Dublin, Cork, Derry & Belfast while also hosting a number of online public meetings on employment issues.
PBP is bringing forward bills in both the Dáil & Stormont to undo what they say are ‘anti-workers rights legislation’.
Local councillor Adrienne Wallace is calling for those in employment to unionise and demand better conditions to stop similar outbreaks saying “Obviously, I mean, we’re a nation of workers, we really are lagging when it comes to having mandatory sick pay, one of the only countries in Europe without it, so we need to do a lot of work in terms of workers’ rights, now in order to do that we need workers to join the unions”.
Cllr Wallace says anyone can unionise, even the unemployed noting “You don’t even always have to be employed, you can have joint community branches and start fighting there for better workplace conditions as well but we just really feel that now is the time for workers to get organised & to really start campaigning for a better quality of life, we’ve seen the cost of living rise dramatically and yet wages have been stagnant that’s not okay so we’re really encouraging people go onto PBP.ie, join any of our online meetings this week or you’ll find information there about why joining a trade union is important”.
She adds that essential workers need to be rewarded for their work on the frontline commenting “We’re really trying to galvanise the workforce to come out & start fighting strong, we saw the massively important role that essential workers took on during this pandemic, in the height of it, and it’s about time that’s rewarded with better pay, better conditions and start fighting for a four-day work week, there’s a lot to be done & really this is ICTU’s day for decent work so we’re calling on workers to get organised, to get involved in their local trade unions and just start really campaigning for better conditions for everyone”.
