Unions urge water protests backing

Five trade unions which have led the campaign to stop water charges have urged all members to join scores of nationwide demonstrations tomorrow.

Unions urge water protests backing

Five trade unions which have led the campaign to stop water charges have urged all members to join scores of nationwide demonstrations tomorrow.

Under the Right2Water umbrella of Unite, Mandate, the Civil and Public Service Union, the Communication Workers’ Union and the Operative Plasterers & Allied Trades Society of Ireland, more than 90 protests have been organised, with 27 across Dublin.

In a statement, the unions called for unified people power to demonstrate opposition to the new utility.

“Tomorrow represents a massive mobilisation of people power against this regressive water tax, a double taxation that the Irish people are rejecting in massive numbers,” the unions said.

“Our unions are proud to stand in solidarity with this citizen-led campaign. Tomorrow we want everybody to enjoy a day out, protesting peacefully against a charge and a company that simply will never be acceptable to the Irish people.

“We encourage all those who want a fairer and more equal society to stand together.

The trade unions, supported by left wing representatives and parties, including Independent TDs, Sinn Fein, the United Left Alliance and the Socialist Party, claim more than 100,000 protesters will be on the streets at more than 90 demonstrations around the country tomorrow afternoon.

It is the second major day of action after tens of thousands marched through Dublin on October 11.

The unions added: “On October 11 we showed what people power can do in Dublin City Centre. Tomorrow, in every city, town and village, let us show our determination to protect our human right to water and to have this water tax legislation revoked.”

Towns in every county have arranged protests of various sizes to show the deepening mass opposition to the charges.

Right2Water also plan to follow up with a protest at Leinster House on Wednesday December 10.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald called for people to come out in their droves in support of the demonstrations.

“We have an opportunity to send this government the loudest message to date that water charges are a step too far. People will not be silenced as they are pushed into poverty by this charge,” she said.

Ms McDonald said the prospect of looming water bills was overshadowing families even in the wake of an international study which warned more than a quarter of children in Ireland live in poverty.

“The establishment of Irish Water and the imposition of water charges has been a fiasco from the start. Now the people are standing up and saying enough is enough,” she said.

“We in Sinn Féin believe that the right to water is one of the most basic of human rights. We are committed to abolishing water charges. I am calling on everybody, young and old, to come out tomorrow and stand up for their right to water.”

Meanwhile, in an unusual move, organisers of the Right2Water campaign warned of the potential for agent provocateurs to join protests and urged all demonstrators to abide by the demands for peaceful opposition.

Trade union Siptu, which has declined to support the protests, repeated its call for the charges to be deferred.

President Jack O’Connor said the utility should include a guarantee that every family receives enough of a supply to meet normal domestic needs.

“We have said that the proposed charging structure is profoundly regressive and inequitable and that is a view shared by the tens of thousands of people who are expected to come out and protest tomorrow,” he said.

“The impact of these charges affects those on lower to middle incomes to a much greater degree than wealthy people. There are far too many people who simply cannot pay and too many more who will find it extremely difficult to do so.”

Mr O’Connor called on the Government to bring in a tax credit system to offset the cost of supplying enough water for an individual to live.

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