People Before Profit - United Left Alliance

People Before Profit Alliance Newsletter 5 December 2010

Contents
·    ICTU protest against the budget cuts and bank bail outs.
·    United Left Alliance
·    How you can Help
·    Petition for a 24 hour National Stoppage

ICTU protest against the budget cuts and bank bail outs.
Well done to everyone who turned out for last Saturday’s ICTU protest against the budget cuts and bank bail outs. Despite the bad weather credible estimates for the numbers marching in Dublin are around 80,000 people.

The People Before Profit Alliance marched with other left groups under the banner of the United Left Alternative Alliance. Hundreds of people left their number and emails to get involved.

But despite the determined mood of the crowd the people who attended were given no leadership or direction. The meeting concluded without a crucial next step being proposed.

United Left Alliance

The United Left Alliance has launched a National Petition to the ICTU (see attached) demanding that they call a one-day national strike against cuts to social welfare and pay as a first step in defeating the Government’s attacks on working people and the poor.

At a packed meeting in the Gresham Hotel last Tuesday, the People Before Profit Alliance joined ranks with Joe Higgins, Seamus Healy and others to announce their slate of candidates who will contest the election and will campaign for

-    An end to bank bail outs. The Irish people are not responsible for bank debts and will repudiate the IMF deal designed to pay back German, French and British banks
-    Tax the super rich. We need a robust policy to tax the super wealthy on their assets and not just their incomes.
-    An end to the tax exile status for the 5,803 individuals who claim to be non-resident
-    Introduce a special tax on financial speculation. Ireland has become a major centre for financial speculation with many hedge funds now located in Dublin.
-    A new tax on high earners. According to the Revenue Commissioners 37,000 individuals earn incomes in excess of €300,000.
-    Take the assets of the top developers who owe NAMA billions of euros. All properties controlled by NAMA to be used to house those on the waiting list and   those whose homes are re-possessed by the banks. This would also reduce the rental income supplement bill of €500 million.
-    Create a public works scheme to put people back to work, creating socially useful jobs and re-generate revenue.
-    Take our natural resources back into public ownership and generate wealth from our vast supply of natural gas and oil.

How you can help
When the election campaign begins we need all the help and support that is out there. You can get involved by emailing info@peoplebeforeprofit.ie  or text us at 087 9090166

If you want to get organised in your community, The People Before Profit Alliance will help by providing speakers, posters, leaflets to get you started. GET IN TOUCH

Upcoming events
There is still a lot of organising to be done. Everywhere we can we need to be out protesting against the budget and the austerity measures against workers and the poor that this will bring.

Monday 6th December
Ballyfermot Protest Against The Budget
Meet At Kylemore Roundabout At 5pm

Rialto Against The Budget Protest
Meet At Bird Flanagan’s At 5pm

Public Meeting Defend Beaumont Hospital Against Cuts
In St John Vianney Hall
On Mon 6th December
at 8pm.

http://www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/node/442

Tuesday 7th December
March From Parnell Square At 7pm To The Dail
Organised By The Right To Work Campaign

Wednesday 8th December
Protest In Cork City Against The Budget
Meet At Patrick St Bridge At 5pm

Friday 10 December At 7pm
Spectacle Of Defiance – Communities Against Cuts Protest
Meet At City Hall Dublin

Pass on this information to your friends and workmates. If you have planned any protests please email to us and we will post them on our website and emails.

Petition For A 24 Hour National Stoppage
One function of the IMF is to give political cover to local elites. With the IMF in place they can tell their population “There is nothing we can do”.
This is likely to be repeated in Portugal and possibly Spain where working people and the least well off in these countries will be attacked just like here in Ireland. This is a bail out for bankers across Europe not for the people of Europe.

With Fianna Fail’s vote imploding it is likely that we will get a  Labour/Fine Gael Government. But they too will tell us that their hands are tied. This means it is vital that we get out on the streets in huge numbers before Budget Day and after Budget Day. And we need to insist that our unions prepare for a 24 hour general strike. Instead of acting as the policemen for the government and the IMF, our unions must be reclaimed for the people and organise resistance.

Trade unionists can sign the attached petition and return it to info@peoplebeforeprofit.ie