Historic Events

25 Years of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement

On this Good Friday, 2023, ICTU’s leadership reflects upon the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. Speaking on behalf of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which represents over 800,000 people in 40 unions on the island of Ireland, Assistant General Secretary Gerry Murphy...

A Rallying Call Against Racism

Tens of thousands of people, some estimates put the crowd at 50,000, joined the ‘Ireland for All Rally’ in Dublin on (Feb 18th) in a day of action against racism. ICTU-affiliated unions marched with representatives including, Le Chéile, NWCI, MASAI, and political parties representing those working...

Irish Trade Unions and the EU (O'Donovan P, July 1999)

04 Jan, 2023

On 01 January 2023, Ireland marked 50 years as a member of the EEC (now EU). This followed a referendum on Ireland’s membership of the EEC in which an overwhelming 83% of voters supported the move. But back in 1972 a special delegate conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions had decided, by a...

Gerry Murphy succeeds Owen Reidy as ICTU Assistant General Secretary

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is pleased to announce that Gerry Murphy has been appointed to succeed Owen Reidy as the leading representative for the trade union movement in Northern Ireland. Mr. Murphy will commence with the leadership of NIC-ICTU’s ‘Workers Demand Better’, the trade union...

Esther Lynch the first Irish General Secretary of the ETUC

New European trade union leader to prioritise pay rises and solidarity The new General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has said she will prioritise improved pay for workers in the face of the continent-wide cost of living crisis. Esther Lynch, appointed General Secretary...

Huge crowds take to the streets for Raise the Roof Rally

Many thousands of people, media reports estimate the numbers at between 15 and 20 thousand, gathered in Dublin on (Saturday, Nov 26) to support the Raise the Roof Rally for Housing which called for a radical and dramatic change to official housing policy. The marchers assembled at Parnell Square and...

Join the Raise the Roof Rally for Housing on Saturday (Nov 26)

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has urged the public to support the Raise the Roof national Rally for Housing being held in Dublin on Saturday (Nov 26). General Secretary Owen Reidy said, ‘the housing crisis is the most important issue that the trade union movement is campaigning on at the moment...

Join a union and 'build a decent fulfilling world' - President Michael D. Higgins

President Higgins' foreword to 'Connect Trade Union, A History 1920-2020' The best outcomes for workers, their defence and their prospects, are achieved by being a trade union member. The world of work is on the cusp of great changes. Remote working and hybrid or blended working, along with changes...

Tributes to 'trailblazer' Patricia King and her legacy

After seven years as ICTU General Secretary, Patricia King stepped down at a recent meeting of the Executive Council. Patricia King began her early career in the mid 1970's as a shop steward for clerical workers in what was a man’s world, a British motor car assembly factory in Crumlin. She began...

New General Secretary of ICTU is Owen Reidy

At today’s Irish Congress of Trade Unions Executive committee meeting, Owen Reidy, the outgoing Assistant General Secretary was ratified as the new General Secretary of the Congress following Patricia King, after she stepped down from the post this month. Mr.Reidy, a father of 2 and a native of...

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