Northern Ireland Society

Conference expresses its concern at the increased sectarian tensions and displays of community division over the last year in Northern Ireland and reiterates its total opposition to sectarianism in all its forms. In particular Conference is concerned that increased sectarianism has the potential to spill over into the workplace and distract workers from the task of defending jobs, pay, terms and conditions and public services. Conference recognises that some people in our society place considerable importance on political symbols but calls upon political leaders to work towards defusing community tensions by committing themselves to promoting agreement on respect for cultural differences. This should be done by securing practical ways in which people of different community allegiances can coexist without representing a threat to each other. Conference calls on the Executive Council to. . encourage political leaders and local communities to work to defuse community tensions and to embark upon a process of renewed engagement with civic society with the objective of plotting a real way forward to deal comprehensively with the outstanding issues which divide the community in Northern Ireland; to maintain its policy of ensuring that workplaces are neutral and free from Northern Ireland political symbols and for workplaces to be free from sectarian intimidation, bullying and harassment; promote the pursuit of political objectives in a non-violent manner; support a balanced and civic approach to policing which treats all sections of the community equally and promotes the unity of all workers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland irrespective of community allegiances. Conference, recognising that the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement was endorsed by all the people on the island in referenda, calls upon the trade union movement across Ireland to support the efforts of the NI Committee of Congress to promote a peaceful, prosperous Northern Ireland which is based on social and economic justice. Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance