Archive for the ‘Economy’ Category

Real effects of doing nothing

Friday, April 17th, 2009

I attended the rally today at City Hall in support of workers who are suddenly finding themselves out of work.

There was a small turn out - when you compare the rally here to the rallies across Ireland and Britain, coupled with the fact that we here in NI are going to be hit worse than England, Wales or Scotland in terms of job loses - the turn out was disappointing. It is all of our responsibilities to ensure that workers have their rights protected. Anyone could be next.

It’s in our nature here, until it affects us we generally don’t pay attention. We vote for the same politicians who consistently fail to help us, and we will again when the EU election comes along.

Our political leaders, the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s response to the economic crisis: attack the Belfast Telegraph for raising the issue. Are they for real? Notably the National Union of Journalists attended the rally – no doubt to sent that same message to our so-called leaders.

While the speakers where very good, they consistently failed to call up those that have the biggest responsibilty here to deal with job losses.

Sinn Fein and the DUP!

They didn’t name Robinson or Maguinness – SF representatives told us on easter that they have co ownership of the institutions, well they must accept then, along with that comes co-responsibility and co-failure to act. As well as co-blame for the executive turning a blind eye to what is happening.

It’s time to get real, people are losing their jobs, homes are being repossessed, people are being taken to court, employers are walking all over them.

Time to turn up the pressure. Time to put Mr Adams and his co-ownership rhetoric to the test.

Time for a new budget and programme for government.

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Time for help for our workers.

Time to help the economy. 

Time for movement.

Time for action.

Posted in Assembly, Constituents, Economy, Executive, SDLP, Sinn Fein, West Belfast, Workers Rights | 1 Comment »

IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPI(DUP) – PART 2

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

The economy is finally beginning to get some attention after months of the DUP/SF axis burying their heads in the sand and pretending we weren’t in any type of crisis. The SDLP launched a discussion document on the state of our government’s budget and spending priorities, identifying where we think £400 million can be found, and starting a much needed and long overdue conversation. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, all over the world governments are reprioritising their budgets and spending priorities. Not here, oh no, that would be just too normal. We only need to look at the Environment Minister and we soon realise how serious some parties are at actually governing the north. Or indeed our Education Minister for that matter.

But now significant pressure is being brought to bear on DUP/SF and I think it’s only a matter of time before they have to acknowledge the reality. Well you would think wouldn’t you? Every day they delay the inevitable is a day that we all have to suffer.

I was at a debate recently and a DUP politician told the audience that I had to defend the SDLP’s policy on fixing the economy. Yes, you read that right. He failed to acknowledge that his party holds the finance ministry, the enterprise and trade ministry and the post of First Minister, he failed to acknowledge that they are the majority party in government and the assembly, that there is going to be a £1 billion black hole in the budget, that people are losing their jobs, that businesses are going under, that we are in a bad financial state at all. But I had to defend my party’s position!

Bear in mind, this was before we launched our economic discussion document this week (available below). This was simply when we where calling for a reprioritising of our spending in these worsening financial times. So apparently we needed to defend the fact that we are facing up to what everyone is facing up to-we are in a crisis, time for solutions, time for some action.

The DUP Finance Minister’s stance on the economic situation is very much like the DUP Environment Minister’s stance on our contribution to global warming. They deny it is happening. This is what we are up against (with not a word from SF). But, let the debate at least start, and lets get on with it.

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Posted in Assembly, DUP, Economy, Executive, SDLP, Sinn Fein, Workers Rights | No Comments »

Earth Hour

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Following an SDLP proposal from myself in Lisburn City Council, it was agreed that Lisburn would join the 2848 cities and towns across 84 countries by joining Earth Hour.

Earth hour is not just about the symbolic gesture of switching off the lights for an hour, it is about sending out a wider message that people want global leaders to take urgent action to tackle climate change.

It has been demonstrated that there exists huge potential in the ‘green economy’ for creating new jobs and new enterprises. We need to invest in training our unemployed workforce new skills and get them ready for a new economy – based strongly on a green economy. This opportunity exists, and it’s exists for the north particularly.

I think people are catching on to this reality – even if our ruling parties are not! For Lisburn to take this step sends out that strong message. Sure, there was opposing voices (or one rather squeaky one more precisely) but it passed, and more to the point, it was agreed to send this decision to our so called Environment Minister.

Posted in Economy, Environment, Lisburn Council, Matthew McDermott, SDLP | 1 Comment »

IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPI(DUP) PART1

Sunday, March 22nd, 2009

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It’s the economy, stupid, or so it goes.

 

We’ve seen over the last number of weeks a great and welcome sense of unity shown by our politicians over the ‘dissident’ murders – the message went out loud and clear, ‘peace is here to stay.’

 

One of the clearest signals our Assembly and political parties collectively and independently can take is to show everyone that it’s business as usual.

 

The issue facing everyone at the moment is undoubtedly the financial situation we are in and how we are to deal with it. I have met many, many constituents who are finding themselves suddenly out of work. There is no doubt that our government needs to step in, in fact it is long over due. That is what they are saying. That is what we are saying.

 

Yes this is a global crisis. Yes this did start somewhere else. Yes this is a problem bigger than our little government.

 

But no, this is not something our government can’t give ordinary people assistance with. No we should not be sitting on our hands (as the DUP/SF are doing by standing by their failed budget) and no we should not be settling for a budget that was written when economic times where good and not bad.

 

The SDLP say it’s time to budge on the budget. We need a new budget for new times. Our economists are saying so and the DUP’s answer is that the economists are sitting in ivory towers.

 

How arrogant can a party get? I don’t care how precious they think their budget is, the fact is, it’s failing us, it needs changed and the government needs to do more. The reality is that people are seeing no tangible benefits to devolution that they can talk about and that needs to change.

 

The DUP and their SF friends need to stop burying their heads in the sand………..

Posted in Assembly, Constituents, DUP, Economy, Executive, SDLP | 1 Comment »

PROTECTING WORKERS RIGHTS

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

In the mist of an economic downturn and the inevitable job losses that that results in, Lisburn City Council adopted a position tonight (Tuesday 24 February) to support the improvement of the conditions of temporary workers.

It has become too common for the news bulletins to carry stories of job losses – and everyone knows that when a company is struggling it gets rid of the staff that is the most expendable, i.e. temporary agency workers.

SDLP, led by SDLP Youth has been continuously campaigning for fairer wages and better rights for agency and temporary workers, many of whom are young, long before the recession and downturn. We will continue that fight.

With this back drop, a matter arose in the Council chamber regarding the Coca Cola plant in Lisburn who, just like Bavarian mini, ’dumped’ their agency staff out in the cold and told them to get lost.

After much debate, and an adjournment due to one of those former agency workers being present in the public gallery and verbally expressing his frustration and annoyance at the Coca Cola plant and some political members who he feels failed to help him I made a proposal.

I proposed that Lisburn City Council writes to our Minister for Employment and Learning, Reg Empey, and his counter part in Britain asking them to bring legislation forward that brings temporary workers rights in line with permanent workers rights.

There is no doubting that a change in legislation is long over due – for too long now, temporary workers have been getting a raw deal.

This proposal is a first step; it gained cross party support, thanks to one UUP member’s support and passed.

Let the fight continue….

Posted in Economy, Lisburn Council, Matthew McDermott, SDLP, SDLP Youth, Workers Rights | No Comments »