The Workers Party this morning placed a picket on a breakfast meeting hosted by Cork Chamber of Commerce at the Imperial Hotel.  The demonstration was in protest at comments from the chamber’s incoming President Mr. Ger O’Mahoney in his inaugural speech last week..

The Chamber of Commerce head had caled for cuts in wages and social welfare as an incentive for people to emigrate from this country.  The Workers’ Party has challenged Mr. O’Mahoney to try living on the €204.30 standard weekly rate of Jobseekers Allowance or the weekly Minimum Wage of €346.

Cork North East Workers Party candidate Ted Tynan described Mr. O’Mahoney’s comments as “Dickensian” and said that the Chamber of Commerce boss was openly advocating a policy that would put thousands of people deep into poverty and force many thousands more to emigrate.   “His speech sounds like it came straight from the mouth of William Martin Murphy, the employers leader during the 1913 Dublin lockout and his proposals must not only be condemned but resisted to the hilt by workers and their representatives”, said Mr. Tynan.

“Mr. O’Mahoney is telling workers frankly that they should do as their forefathers and mothers did and take the boat while those left behind should live on rations so as to force them into cheap labour.   Meanwhile he is demanding more subsidies and tax breaks for businesses.   His comments are utterly deplorable and that is why the Workers Party is picketing this morning’s Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting where no doubt the top item on their agenda was more ways of cutting back the income of working class people”.

Issued 3rd June 2009