There was a huge turnout of workers and union leaders who rallied under union banners in Dublin on Monday (Nov 27) to show solidarity with those injured or caught up in violence in the city last week. They answered a call by Congress to reject rioting, looting, and violence, the destruction of shops, property, a Luas tram, and buses in the city.
General Secretary Owen Reidy, who addressed the rally said
Our bottom line is that every worker, whoever they are, has a right to health and safety, they have a right to go home at the end of their work unharmed.
We also want to send a message that the xenophobic and racist nature of some of the violence last week does not represent us, we have to reject that. Whether you were born in this city or whether you were born anywhere in the world if you live and work here you are part of our community.
Owen Reidy said he wanted workers, who were flanked by Dublin Fire Brigade engines and Gardai, to bring a message of solidarity and hope.
We want to express our solidarity with the children and the care worker attacked in Parnell Square last week. Our thoughts are with them and their families at this traumatic time and we sincerely hope they all recover from this awful event. We also express our solidarity with the school concerned and all its staff, pupils, and families.
We condemn in the strongest terms the unacceptable and outrageous thuggery witnessed on the streets of our capital city last week. We pay tribute to our wonderful Garda, firefighters, ambulance personnel, local authority workers, and our transport workers for how they have responded. They are an example of public service. No worker should be in harm's way when called to work and they clearly were.
Carol McSherry, a school special needs assistant, told the crowd she was there to express solidarity. 'Dublin last Thursday was not the real Dublin, she said, and she urged the crowd to love not hate '.
Phil Ní Sheaghdha General Secretary of INOU said nurses work alongside many nationalities
Ireland has welcomed and will continue to welcome migrant workers, we need to make it clear that this is an Ireland for all’. We work with migrant workers every single day, and they’re an integral part of our healthcare delivery, whether it’s midwives delivering our next generation, right up to end-of-life care.
Christian Tei, originally from Romania and a SIPTU Dublin Bus driver said it was getting more difficult to do his job in Dublin and he had once been punched in the face.
I want to go to work and feel safe, one of my colleagues was attacked because he had a different colour of skin, that is not acceptable, he said. He was born in Romania, has lived in Ireland for 17 years, and is now an Irish citizen, I am Irish and proud he said.
The speakers also included Joe Cunningham Gen. Sec. SIPTU, and Kevin Callinan Gen. Sec. Fórsa.
Photographs: Tommy Clancy
