Northern Ireland:

Largest union backs fight against water charges

THE FOLLOWING press release from the 'We Won't Pay' campaign, in Northern Ireland, a campaign to organise mass non-payment of water charges (taxes), which the government intends to introduce. The Socialist Party (CWI) plays a key role in the campaign.

The WWP campaign today welcomed the decision of the NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Services Association) conference to back a mass campaign of non-payment as the way to defeat water charges.

Campaign spokesperson, Jim Barbour said: "The We Won't Pay campaign has been getting a huge response in the communities for our clear message that mass non-payment is the way to stop water charges.

"The fact that NIPSA, the largest trade union in Northern Ireland, has come on board is a major boost for the non payment campaign. The New Labour Ministers should take note of the growing support for the We Won't Pay campaign and bow to the wishes of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland by scrapping this charge."

The motion overwhelmingly passed by the NIPSA conference reads: "Conference recognises that a mass campaign of non-payment is the only way to defeat water charges. Conference calls on the General Council (Union Executive) to publicly support non payment of water charges." (2 June)

There was a further shift to the left at the annual conference of NIPSA, held at the start of June.

Socialist Party member, Carmel Gates stood down as President due to the convention that a President serves only three years. However, the hopes of the right wing that they would take back this position were dashed when Billy Lynn, also a Socialist Party member and a longstanding activist in the union, was elected in her place.

The SP also did well in the conference elections.

Joe Higgins and the new President Billy Lynn were guest speakers at a successful fringe meeting discussing how trade unionists can take up the fight against government attacks.

'We Won't Pay' campaign hits the headlines

"TOP UNION urges water tax boycott: Non-payment 'only way' to beat charges," ran the front page headline of last Friday's Belfast Telegraph, Northern Ireland's most read daily paper.

The article reported that:

"The 'tap tax' battle reached a new level today, after Northern Ireland's largest trade union backed plans for a massive non-payment campaign across the province.

"The decision by the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance boosts the prospects of a large-scale boycott of household water charges, which are due to be imposed next year."

The article quoted Socialist Party member and chair of the 'We Won't Pay' campaign Jim Barbour: "We already pay for water in our rates and there is no way we can be expected to pay for it twice."

A spokesman for the Department for Regional Development (DRD) threatened cuts in public services if people (on wages 20% lower than in England) didn't pay the hundreds of pounds a year in water charges.

"A non-payment campaign would result in two possible consequences: firstly it would pass costs on to other charge payers; secondly it could deprive other public services of much needed resources."

This is from a government that has already axed £30 million a year from the education budget.

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Northern Ireland: Largest union backs fight against water charges

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