32 workers in Co. Cork have won support from thousands of people around Ireland and internationally for their occupation of the Vita Cortex plant which began on 16 December.
“Anger is at boiling point”. This comment made by one of the workers at the Falls Road bus depot over the 70 job cuts proposed by Translink clearly sums up the feelings of many bus workers across Belfast. Workers at the depot have been told there will be 28 job cuts from the engineering section by the 1st October. This is a cut of over 10% in one of the biggest employers in West Belfast.
TheSocialist spoke to William, a disabled low paid worker and single parent in East Belfast who relies on benefits which are now coming under attack.
“I’ve been receiving a small amount of disability benefits for a number of years following a serious breakdown caused by stress and overwork. Although I’ve managed to get back into some work, its only part time and at a very low wage. I get about £2,400 a year in benefits on top of my wages of £9,700, so life is a struggle.
Over two million workers across Northern Ireland and Britain are being balloted for a one day public sector strike on 30th November – the biggest strike since the General Strike of 1926.