Kiran Emrich Supports the M & S Strikers

Kiran Emrich,Galway Central ward People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA) candidate, supports the Marks & Spencer strikers.

Kiran Emrich, People Before Profit candidate for the Galway City Central ward, has spoken out against the Marks & Spencer (M&S) company over their decision to close their workers’ pension scheme.
On the 31st of October M&S management took unilateral steps to close their workers defined benefit scheme by informing employees that it was now considered a ‘discretionary benefit’. Unlike many other defined benefit schemes, which are non performing, the M&S retirement fund is performing and is currently in surplus to the tune of €17 million.

Mandate trade union, which represents the majority of the 2,300 staff at M&S, balloted members for industrial action. The workers voted overwhelmingly for strike action, which took place across 17 stores nationally- including the Galway store- last Saturday 7th December. Kiran Emrich PBPA candidate visited the Galway M&S picket line at the Corrib Shopping Centre on the day.
"The great news was that the strike was 100% solid in Galway, " said Emrich, "and the staff on the pickets were getting a hearing and supportive reaction from the public."

"Attacks on workers’ entitlements are becoming common place with many large companies using the crisis as a means to chop workers' rights," he said.
"We see it in the semi-state sector and in the private sector alike, with the attacks on the pensions of ESB workers and the pension scheme of M&S workers. The forthcoming new Companies Act will further weaken workers' bargaining power. Take a look at Senator Fergal Quinn’s latest bill to jail striking workers of essential services for up to 5 years. The message coming through is that in industrial disputes the law will not act as a neutral independent arbiter, but will be firmly on the side of management."

Kiran Emrich added that he will be down at the picket line at the Corrib Shopping Centre this week and next week too to show support and solidarity with the striking workers of the Galway store if they are forced to continue their action to get a result.

Stop the Privatisation of our Public Services

STOP the PRIVATISATION of our PUBLIC SERVICES

REFUSE COLLECTION SERVICE.  
The Galway City Council Manager is intent on privatising the ‘Household Refuse Collection Service’.

The introduction of domestic refuse charges was all about the creation of a profitable business that could pass into private hands for private profits to be made.
* 1 less public service to be provided, despite Government claims that money raised from the ‘property tax’ would used to improve local authority services.

* 1 more example of loss of democracy, as decisions are made ever more frequently by unelected, high-waged officials doing the Government’s bidding. So much for democratic reform!

* 1 major consequence could be the ending of the waiver system, which

allowed people on very low incomes to have their refuse collected even though

they could not afford to pay. Approximately 2400 households avail of the waiver.


After the 2014 austerity budget hits, even more households will need it.

The council is trying to protect the waivers for a while longer but there is NO guarantee that will happen.

What then?


WATERSUPPLY.  Next it will be charges for our water supply plus the privatisation of the service - unless we stop this agenda. If you are notified of water meters being fitted in your estate, please notify us asap so that we can arrange a public meeting in the area to discuss how we can deal with this.


The availability of billions to
‘recapitalise’ the banks shows that there is no need for any cuts to social spending or for stealth taxes like the bin charges & water rates.

NO to CHARGES!

Members of People Before Profit Alliance have led the campaigns to retain the bin-tax waiver in Galway City since its introduction.

WE MUST CONTINUE THE FIGHT!


Kiran Emrich PBPA candidate Galway Central
 086 086 9514
kemrichpbpa@gmail.com
www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie

JOIN US

BUDGET 2014

BUDGET 2014:

Fine Gael looks after the wealthiest in society,

the Labour Party attacks the young, the elderly, and the least well off.

Their austerity budgets show us why we need an alternative: -

new tax breaks for the wealthy; more austerity for those on low & middle incomes.

e.g.
*€44 cut from social welfare of unemployed youths aged under 25 years old.

*telephone allowance cut from homecare package for the most vulnerable.

*fuel allowance cut.
*fears of medical card ‘reviews’ adversely affecting the sick and elderly.

*prescription charges increased to €2.50 per item.

*child benefit cuts
*maternity benefit made taxable & rate cut from €290 to €230.

*CE scheme conditions & entitlements changed resulting in provision of cheap labour.

*bereavement grant- axed!


The Labour Party promised to stand up to the Troika, but has done the opposite.

The People Before Profit Alliance puts the needs of people and planet before profits of the greedy.


We want to:-
*stop paying private bankers’ debts, & use the money instead to create jobs through a public works programme.

*reverse the cuts to our public services & restore social welfare payments.

*take our natural resources under public ownership for the benefit of the people of Ireland.

*stop cutting wages.

*progressively tax the wealthiest earning over €100,000 per annum; a wealth tax for assets over €1,000,000; enforce 12.5% corporation tax. *remove the Property Tax & Universal Social Charge!

Brief PBPA Galway Manifesto

Kiran Emrich PBPA candidate Galway Central



People Before Profit Alliance Galway Central
086 086 9514

kemrichpbpa@gmail.com  www.PeopleBeforeProfit.ie
The People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA) was formed in 2005. We are a 32 county alliance of activists and campaigners of all ages from teenagers to octogenarians. PBPA returned 2 T.D's and 5 Councillors in the last elections. We have been active in Galway for 8 years and will be standing in the local elections here for the first time in the Local Authority elections 2014.

PBPA stands for a different type of politics.

*We campaign alongside householders, workers and communities standing against eviction and cutbacks, and for jobs, conditions, services and the environment.

*All PBPA representatives are accountable to the PBPA membership, and re-callable.

*We stand with those people on low & middle incomes, the small business person, and the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society-their voices must be heard. We are particularly concerned with those people worst affected by the austerity policies of the current and previous governments.

*We will not do any deals or go into coalitions with right wing parties that will compromise our principled positions.
*PBPA elected representatives do not go on junkets or use council money for attending conferences etc...


Kiran Emrich. People Before Profit Alliance candidate, Galway Central ward.
Kiran has been a political activist for over 10 years. He was elected onto the first Donegal Youth Council at the age of 16. He was also involved in setting up Amach! LGBT Galway Ltd., which has succeeded in having an LGBT Resource Centre included in the Galway City Development Plan.
Concerned about lack of democracy, Kiran will be holding monthly open public meetings from the New Year, on issues that are affecting communities. If elected, these meetings will afford an opportunity for a report back by Kiran Emrich on council business to the electorate in the area, a mandate on issues, and to take up public concerns.


  

Priorities for Kiran Emrich PBPA include:

*Providing essential services for those who are unable to pay, such as retaining a waiver for domestic refuse collection.

*Opposing charges for domestic water at local and national level, as water charges are regressive and a step towards privatisation .
(If you hear that water meters are to be fitted in your area, please contact Kiran's campaign & we will call an emergency community meeting to discuss resistance.)

*Continuing opposition to the Property tax, & against any increases being implemented at local level. (Also note that the Property Tax was meant for improving & maintaining local services, yet Galway City Council is already cutting back- firstly on the public bin collection service, & now the Property Tax money is being used to install water-meters.)

*Opposing all stealth taxes and privatisation of public services.

* Provision of housing & shelter for the people in need e.g. local authority housing for those on the waiting list; prompt restoration & availability of boarded-up council housing; adequate homeless and refuge facilities; quality accommodation for the traveller community; seeking an end to the direct provision system for asylum seekers.

*Extension of allotment schemes & assistance for community gardens; conversion of public waste land into community project space; protection of our public parks, beaches, and woods for the benefit of the people of Galway. (We oppose any planning decisions that will have detrimental effects on our public open spaces.)

* Community consultation before major planning decisions.

* Community control of energy policies.

* Accessibility and ease of movement throughout Galway City for those with restricted mobility.

* Reviewing the priorities that council money is used for.

* Urging Galway City Council to call the Government to account for insufficient funding & also any other policies that adversely affect the people and environment of Galway.

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PBPA have been active in many campaigns in Galway including:

*Against stealth taxes, double taxation for essential services, & privatisation of public services

*Anti-austerity; Anti-household/ property/septic tank taxes;

*Against the Lisbon and Austerity Treaties;

*Anti-racism & anti-war
 Asylum seeker accommodation and rights
 Palestinian rights
 LGBTQI rights
 Women's rights.

*Awareness of environmental dangers including fracking; reclaiming our natural resources and state assets

*Community demonstrations;

* Defending education services against cuts & for SNA supports;

*Demanding free, safe water be provided during cryptosporidium contamination;

*Defending health services, including in Ballinasloe, St Francis Nursing Home, Merlin Park & UHG;

*Protection of bin-charge waivers;

*Supporting workers and trade union disputes.

PBPA Galway recently participated in the national Save Our Forests campaign which successfully halted the privatisation of Coillte forests.
If you want to put the needs of people and planet before the profits of a greedy minority- JOIN US, AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD.

Contact:
086 086 9514
kemrichpbpa@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/kemrichpbpa
Kiran Emrich PBPA candidate Galway Central

People Before Profit Alliance Galway www.PeopleBeforeProfit.ie