TheNorthern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is pleased to announce the details of its annual May Parade.
The annual parade to celebrate workers’ struggle around the world is being held on Saturday May 2nd, departing at 12:00 from the UU Art College in York Street and climaxing at St George’s Market with a family diversity festival, with food and music from around the world.
Participants in the parade are being asked to assemble at 11:30am at the University of Ulster Art College, where there will be short speeches by trade union, including a keynote speech from Jack O’Connor, General President of SIPTU.
Until 1990, SIPTU was known as the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union, which was founded by Jim Larkin 100 years ago. To mark the centenary of this important union, it was agreed that SIPTU will lead the Belfast parade this year.
However, to mark the ongoing occupation of the Visteon plant, workers from Visteon will lead the parade alongside their colleagues and comrades from SIPTU.
Other highlights of the annual ICTU May Festival have included original drama pieces, an art exhibition, public talks and debates. The Centenary of the ITGWU is being marked with a series of events organised by the Shared History Interpretative Project (See below).
Also of note is a Migrant Workers’ Festival organised partly by the ICTU’s Migrant Workers’ Unit (See below).
For more details, download the full programme from the Congress website
www.ictuni.org
or pick up a copy of the leaflet from bars, cafes and trade union offices around the city. Copies of the brochure are also available from the ICTU office, Carlin House, 4-6 Donegall Street Place (Behind the John Hewitt Bar).
For more details, contact:
John O’Farrell
Communications Officer, NIC-ICTU
Tel: 07808 582546
Email: john.ofarrell@ictuni.org
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
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Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is the single umbrella organisation for trade unions on the island of Ireland. Congress is the largest civil society organisation on the island. It is the apex body representing 750,000 workers affiliated through 64 trade unions in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The organisation is required, through its mission statement, to strive to achieve economic development, social cohesion and justice by upholding the values of solidarity, fairness and equality.
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The Northern Ireland Committee (NIC) of the ICTU is the representative body for 36 trade unions with 250,948 members across Northern Ireland. In membership terms, it is the largest civil society organisation in Northern Ireland. Information on the NIC is available on www.ictuni.org
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The direct link to the 2009 May Day Events leaflet is:
http://www.ictuni.org/uploads/67b098da-831b-4ef7-ba01-f5111705d2bc/2009%20ICTU%20MAY%20Day%20inner_Layout%202%20(2).pdf
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The direct link to the 2009 May Day Poster, designed by Anto Brennan is:
http://www.ictuni.org/uploads/67b098da-831b-4ef7-ba01-f5111705d2bc/2009%20poster%20side_Layout%201%20(2).pdf
Migrant Workers Festival 2009
This new festival has evolved from a partnership between Belfast & District Trades Union Council (B&DTUC), the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Golden Thread Gallery, the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) and Kropka.pl to complement the May Day Programme as well as connecting with a major exhibition of Polish Art that will be running in the Golden Thread Gallery.
The exhibition (titled Absurd Agents) is part of a UK Wide Season of Polish Art and is part-funded by the
Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Poland
).
This festival creates an opportunity for the migrant worker community to celebrate, participate in and enrich existing trade union culture in Belfast.
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1st May
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Absurd Agents
a major exhibition of Polish art opens in Golden Thread Gallery
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GTG
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2nd May
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Mayday March & St George’s Market events
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Trad March Route & St George’s Market
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7th May
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Mark Thomas event
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GTG
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Last 2 weeks of May
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Exhibition by in Golden Thread Gallery Project Space (See below)
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GTG
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Last 2 weeks of May
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Screenings / Projections of existing Migrant Worker Films
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GTG and / or Outdoor venues
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Last 2 weeks of May
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Advice clinics for Migrant Workers
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t.b.c.
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Last 2 weeks of May
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Fun Day
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GTG
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SHARED HISTORY INTERPRETIVE PROJECT
S.H.I.P
“CENTENARY OF DEEPSEA DOCKERS TRADE UNION ITGWU”
1909 – 2009
SHIP celebrates the centenary of the Irish Transport & General Workers Union, founded by Jim Larkin after the legendary dockers’ and carters’ strike which convulsed Belfast in 1907.
All are welcome to join in the celebrations!
PROGRAMME FOR SHIP/ITGWU/SIPTU BELFAST CENTENARY CELBRATIONS
1909 – 2009
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DATE
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VENUE
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EVENT
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TIME
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WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL 2009
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BELFAST
HARBOUR
COMMISSIONERS OFFICE
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LAUNCH OF CENTENARY PROGRAMME AND DOCKERS PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
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11.00am/12.30pm
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FRIDAY 1st MAY
2009
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DOCKERS CLUB
BELFAST
7.000PM
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NAMING of “DOCKERS CORNER” DOCK STREETBELFAST
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7.30pm
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FRIDAY
1ST MAY 2009
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DOCKERS CLUB
BELFAST
8.00PM
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SOCIAL EVENING &
DISTRIBUTION OF COMMEMORATIVE DOCKERS CENTENARY BADGES
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8.00pm
to Late
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WEDNESDAY 13TH MAY 2009
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LORD MAYOR’S PARLOUR 7.00P
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BELFAST
CIVIC RECEPTION
ITGWU CENTENARY
SHIP PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBTION
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7.00pm
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THURSSDAY
21st May 2009
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FORTWILLIAM COLF CLUB
BELFAST
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CENTENARY GOLFING TOURNAMENT
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10.OOAM (TBC)
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MAY 2009
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BELFAST
AND
DUBLIN
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BOOK LAUNCH OF ITGWU CENTENARY PICTORIAL HISTORY
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DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
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JULY 2009
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DOCKERS CLUB BELFAST
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COMMEMORATIVE LAUNCH RE-ISSUE OF
“EARLY DAYS IN BELFAST”
PHAMPLET BY WILLIAM McMULLEN
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DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
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AUGUST
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BELFAST
& DUBLIN
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BOOK LAUNCH “100 YEARS AT LIBERTY HALL”
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DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
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DEEP-SEA DOCKERS PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ARTEFACTS EXHIBITION IS AVAILABLE TO
TRADE UNIONS,TRADES COUNCILS AND VOLUNTSRY OR COMMUNITY ORGANISTIONS
DURING THE CENTENARY YEAR
For further details contact Mob: 07729728181 or Dockers Recreation & Social Club Tel: 028 909074 2857
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