Union Compares Gov To 'Thatcher'

The ICTU has compared the Irish government to former UK premier and 'Iron Lady', Margaret Thatcher over it's refusal to provide an alternative to budgetary cuts.

Speaking after a specially convened meeting of the Executive Council of Congress yesterday, the ICTU General Secretary David Begg said the Government was attempting to lay the "burden of economic adjustment almost entirely on working people."

Drawing comparisons to the former British Prime Minister's right wing policies, Mr Begg said: "Government says there is no alternative - a phrase last heard from Margaret Thatcher - but we believe that there is a better, fairer way to do things.

"We know there will be pain, but we object to that pain falling almost totally on lower to middle income people. We did not cause this crisis, but we do want to be part of the solution."

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Begg said re-adjustment of the public finances should be drawn out over a longer period, ending in 2017 instead of the Government target of 2013.

To this end, the ICTU yesterday announced their campaign theme named 'There is Still a Better, Fairer Way'. Among the measures agreed was the holding of a National Day of Action, on Friday November 6 to take place in Dublin and in a number of regional centres around the country.

The ICTU said the campaign would run at least until the day of Budget 2010 - expected on December 2 or 8 - and possibly beyond.

During his RTÉ interview, Mr Begg said that although the ICTU did not have the authority to call a strike on the proposed national day of action on November 6 he wanted as many people as possible to turn out.

(DW/BMcc)