ICTU close unemployed resource centre

mayo | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Friday January 26, 2007 17:38

by Keith Martin- Councillor - Westport Branch Labour Party

The ICTU in Mayo is closing down the Westport Centre for the Unemployed.

It is doing so without any consulation with the labour movement in Westport or in fact with anyone.

Staff turned up for work on Monday to find the place cleared out by the ICTU Board of Managment which is based in Castlebar. This is an astonishing behaviour from an employer but from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions it is unbelievable!

The ICTU say the centre is not paying its way which I thought was not the purpose of resources for the unemployed provided by unions.

There are no other resources like the Centre in town. We have no Citizens Advice Bureau, Money Advice and Budgeting Service, FAS, Consumer Affairs or Trade Union offices in Westport.

Needless to say Castlebar are keeping their centre for the unemployed even though they have all of the above resources in their town ditto for Ballina.

Just two years ago Westport lost 325 jobs at Allergan the town’s largest employer. The town is also home to over 600 to 800 non national workers who travel here to work in Westport’s service industry and they too rely on the centre for CV’s, employment information and rights information like the minimum wage and advocacy information.

How are we as a party to be expected to standup to the downsizing of businesses, job losses and relocation of labour if Westport is abandoned by the ICTU and the union movement?

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Comments (6 of 6)

Only the pale counts

by oarman - I t g w u

Fri Jan 26, 2007 18:46

Money is all that matters even the people that take in 1 millon per week from union dues are closing doors in the west of Ireland If this office was in dublin the house would be put in order The I C T U and unions are all gone soft The new union officer in suits cant get their hands dirty Hi if their a problem away out there in the west Hi get rid of it close it down

Keith

by pat c

Fri Jan 26, 2007 18:55

Terrible news. These Centres are usually run locally though, through the Trades Councils. Can you find out if te decision was made in Dublin or by the Trades Council?

In any case its an appalling way to treat the staff.

ICTU

Fri Jan 26, 2007 19:04

Just went to their site. No mention of Centre closing. It has these details:

Westport People’s Resource Centre
Mill Street, Westport, Co. Mayo
098-26787
098-26787
Lucy Cunningham
coordinator.mayo@congresscentres.net

Cant find out

by Keith Martn - Labour Member Westport Town Council

Sat Jan 27, 2007 18:03

The ICTU in Mayo have not replied to me on this issue and despite three requests have not given me the contact details of the Mayo Board.

The decision to close the centre was taken locally but there has been no official statement.

surprised?

by Aine

Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:20

Hardly surprising, given that they call for a debate on nuclear power without consulting the labour movement ... sections of which were active in the Carnsore point campaign.

The workin class, they do what we tell them.

by Hugh Murphy - Sacked by my union ex Belfast Docker

Wed Jan 31, 2007 14:35

When will the Irish People realise that everything Ictu do is anti working class. From closing this centre to honoring Larkin.

You can bet their Partners in corruption knew all about this.

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ICTU close unemployed resource centre

Comments (6 of 6)