Motion no: 5
Conference acknowledges the main NI political parties have sold Northern Ireland short by reaching agreement on a range of austerity measures which will be bad for workers, bad for their families and bad for the citizens of Northern Ireland. While it is acknowledged that some elements of devolution have been a positive development for Northern Ireland, the future political and socio-economic direction must be determined on the basis of what is best for its citizens. This will not be achieved through an austerity agenda, public expenditure cuts and cross sectoral job loss. The Northern Ireland Committee needs to reinvigorate its campaign to defend public services, defend public and private sector jobs and oppose the introduction of a reduced rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland.
The Fresh Start Implementation Agreement has seen thousands of public sector jobs lost to the economy of Northern Ireland. Despite the constant rhetoric of growing the private sector this has also not borne fruit and instead we have seen thousands of medium and high value jobs lost from the private sector.
In addition the NI Assembly abdicated its responsibility for the most vulnerable in our society and handed the power to Westminster to introduce the NI Welfare Reform Bill. While it is accepted there is some amelioration for NI citizens through enabling legislation, these statutory revisions are minor in nature, will be short-lived and are in part to be delivered through a repackaging of existing social funds.
Conference instructs the Northern Ireland Committee to engage meaningfully with all constituent unions to draw together a united and sustained campaign to protect trade union members, their families and wider society from the pro-austerity parties and the pro-cuts agenda which is dismantling public services both now and for generations to come.
In addition the Northern Ireland Committee, as part of this campaign, should engage with wider civic society through bona fide organisations to build a united campaign of opposition and to build a better society for all.
