Thousands of education and health care workers are out on strike to demand that Stormont and Westminster end their ongoing attacks on public services and worker’s wages.
Speaking from outside Belfast City Hall, Lasair Dhearg Belfast Vice-Secretary Pádraig Scott said, “Faced with years of austerity and real terms pay cuts from both administrations in London, Belfast and Dublin, workers across the island are determined to send a message that they are no longer willing, or able, to accept it.”
“Attempts by both the Six and Twenty Six County states to gut public services are being strongly resisted. At a time when many people are being forced to choose between heating and eating, energy companies are seeing record profits driven by their exploitation. Not to be outdone, the British government today announced a surplus of £5.5 billion, which has completely exposed claims that the demands being made today are unaffordable as lies.”
He added, “It is solidarity amongst the working people that in the short term will help achieve their demands, but it is clear that going forward only the complete replacement of the capitalist system will ensure that services are run for public good and not for profit.”
