The disturbances in the Coolock area of Dublin earlier this month are the latest in an escalating trend of far Right and fascist violence in the country. The State has made clear it is happy to allow the far Right to terrorise refugees and asylum seekers, intimidate political representatives and divide working class communities.
The labour movement must mobilise to cut-off this dangerous development. After the riots in Dublin last November the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) moved quickly to call a demo in solidarity with the workers affected and to register our movement’s complete opposition to the far Right’s agenda of hate and division.
Now Militant Left believes there should be local trade union activity on this issue in every area and, critically, urgent steps must be taken to build for a national demonstration against the far Right and fascism, in Dublin in the early Autumn. This should be under the banner of ICTU and led by the trade union movement.
There is no time to lose. The trade union movement is the only force in society with the social base to cut across the far Right. Organising demos against them is not enough. This activity must be combined with a renewed mobilisation on the housing crisis. It is this devastating crisis which is driving, in large part, the rise of the far Right and its fascist elements in communities. Alongside homes for all the trade union movement should be fighting for decent pay, services, health and education for ALL.
The labour movement needs to show its power. It is no coincidence that precisely at a time when colossal wealth is being generated in the South, we are witnessing a rising violent far Right movement. This, however, should be no surprise as capitalism as a system, in all circumstances, generates immense wealth for the rich and intense misery for the working-class majority.
Militant Left members in the trade union movement believe this demonstration is an urgent political priority and we urge all trade unionists to push their union to support this initiative.
