The Workers’ Party have called on workers in the private and public sectors to stand together and refuse to be made scapegoats for the destruction of the Irish economy which the party says was the handiwork of corrupt bankers and greedy speculators who put the country in peril for their own benefit.

Cork Workers’ Party Chairman Ted Tynan said that there was a need for solidarity among the country’s 2 million workers and he said they should not be fooled into blaming their fellow workers for the wrongs of others.

“There is a concerted campaign to pit private sector worker against public sector worker and shift the blame for the financial crisis from the banking sector and the ultra rich to the ordinary worker and his or her family.

 “The average public sector worker is not a well-heeled executive on €300,000 a year plus perks but an ordinary nurse, bus driver, postman or office clerk struggling to pay a mortgage or rent and often so badly paid that they are forced to seek supplementary assistance or charity at difficult times of the year such as Christmas or the start of a new school term for their children”.

“If there is waste in the public sector it is at the top and is created by those appointed by the government to prime the state sector for privatisation.  If there are to be cutbacks they should start at the top and not just with the token reduction of the number of Junior Ministers but with a total change in the way senior people are appointed to the state sector and an end to political patronage”.

Mr. Tynan concluded by calling on the trade union movement to give strong leadership to workers and to stand by pay rates and pension agreements.  “If there is something rotten in Irish society it emanates from the capitalist class and workers must not be made to pay for it.  It is now time to introduce a graduated wealth tax and abolish soft tax rates for multinationals that have made it clear in recent times that they are only here for short term profit and have no loyalty to this country once the money runs out”, said the Workers’ Party spokesman.

Issued Thursday 15th January 2008