Joe Higgins, Socialist Party candidate for Europe hosts a discussion on

"THE EURO ELECTIONS '09 & THE ECONOMIC CRISIS"

Saturday 30th May @ 3pm
Central Hotel, Exchequer St (off George's St), Dublin 2

Lisbon Treaty ‘No’ vote delivers major shock for political and big business Establishment

Privatisation and workers’ rights key issues of debate in referendum campaign
Kevin McLoughlin, Socialist Party (CWI Ireland), Dublin

In a higher than normal turnout for a referendum, 53.1%, the Lisbon Treaty (the renamed EU Constitution) was clearly rejected in Ireland, last Thursday, by 53.4% to 46.6%. As the No side trailed in every opinion poll, until a poll last week, this is a major shock for the political and business establishment in Ireland.

The government, with its new Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen, most of the parliamentary opposition, including Labour, the bosses' and farmers organisations, most of the leadership of the trade union movement, the churches, the media and every other part of the establishment, all combined and used their vast resources to call for a Yes vote. They are clearly stunned by the poll defeat.

This is also an important setback for the big business interests and the political elite who control the EU. "With all respect for the Irish vote, we cannot allow the huge majority of Europe to be duped by a minority of a minority of a minority", commented Axel Schafer, social democrat (SPD) leader on the Bundestag committee on EU affairs. Some commentators claim that Ireland, a country with less than 1% of the EU population, cannot be allowed to “hold up” the whole of Europe. But the reality is if the EU was democratic, the Lisbon Treaty would have been put to the vote in all EU countries, and on the basis of the No vote in Ireland and the previous No votes to the EU Constitution, it would be rejected by working class people in many countries. The real minority dominating the lives of Europe millions is the tiny ruling classes.

The Socialist Party (CWI in Ireland) was an important part of the No campaign. We combined our own independent activities with participation a the broader, loose campaign - the Campaign Against the EU Constitution (CAEUC), which involved thirteen other parties and groups and activists putting forward a progressive and left position. Sinn Fein, the only party with parliamentary representatives that opposed the Treaty, were prominent particularly in the media, but their central demand, that the Treaty could and should be renegotiated, was weak and, in part, perhaps a preparation for possibly supporting such treaties when they enter a future government.
Critical role of Joe Higgins

It is not an exaggeration to say that Socialist Party representative, Joe Higgins, played an absolutely critical role in the course of the campaign. Joe was the most capable representative of the No side; taking on and exposing the arguments of the senior political and business representatives of the Establishment. This is generally recognised. In yesterday’s Evening Herald newspaper, media analyst and consultant, Terry Prone, cited her ten reasons why Lisbon was defeated and she listed Joe Higgins as one of the ten. "They failed to realise the impact mavericks like Joe Higgins have. Joe Higgins is an institution. He is more than a curiosity. People who haven't a left wing bone in their body identify with him because they find him straight and passionate and witty. If he said healthcare was going to be privatised, it rankled with them."

During the referendum campaign, the Yes side argued that Lisbon was mainly about ‘modernising’ the EU and changing the EU structures, so that a bigger EU could work more efficiently. They tried to diminish the important political, economic and military aspects contained in this long and practically unreadable Lisbon Treaty document.

While the Socialist Party dealt comprehensively with the militarism in the Treaty, we concentrated on how the Treaty facilitated the privatisation of vital public services, like health and education, and how the Treaty meant attacks on the wages, conditions and rights of workers.

The Treaty was purpos

Socialist Youth spoke to Susie and Tomas about their experiences working for agencies in Dublin.

Susie works for a temping agency called Angels working in administration and customer services.

“Working for a temping agency can be really insecure as some jobs last a week or two and others may only last a few days. I get paid between €10 and €11 an hour and I know I am paid less that the permanent staff. If I am sick I don’t get paid and of course I don’t get holiday pay.

“It causes me all sorts of problems being an agency worker. Even if I could afford to buy a house, I would never get a mortgage because I haven’t got a permanent job and it is a problem trying to get any type of credit. “I have been trying to get a permanent job but it is difficult, if you look on jobs.ie, the majority in this area of work are agency jobs.”

Tomas was employed by an agency to do customer care work for Eircom. “There is a huge difference between being an agency worker in Eircom and a permanent worker. Permanent staff get a pay rise ever year, have pensions, sick and holiday pay (more holidays) and are members of a union – the agency workers got none of that. I was the only agency worker who was a member of the union, but the agency refuses to recognise the union.

“When I worked in Vodafone for an agency I was getting paid €7,500 a year less that the permanent workers doing the same job as me. Companies are saving a fortune using agency workers, and they can also get rid of you anytime they want because agency workers have no rights.”