Several thousand expected at largest May Day parade on island of Ireland
11:30 feeder parade from Unite (Antrim Road)
12 noon – Rally/ Speeches while March Assembles in Donegall St (Writers Square/ UU College of Art Gardens)
12:30 – March off via Royal Avenue
Rally speakers include
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Introduction from NIC-ICTU vice-chair Jacquie White (UTU)
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Welcome from Belfast & District Trades Council’s Kerry Fleck (CWU)
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Guest speaker Scottish TUC General Secretary Roz Foyer
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Guest Speaker ICTU vice-President Phil Ni Sheaghdha (INMO)
Belfast Trades Council are hosting a series of events to celebrate May Day. 'Our Work, Our Lives, Our Place' is a joint project with ourselves, The Community Arts Partnership and the ICTU supported by unions and Belfast City Council. Full details are in the programme.
In her remarks to the pre-march rally, Ms White will tell the participants
Trade unions from across this island and these islands come together on May Day to celebrate their victories and to mark their setbacks, but we can safely say that this year, trade unionists in NI have never been as strong or influential. This follows months of industrial action and strikes and lobbying for the interests of all working people.
We demanded better and we are not going back. That demand for better was heard loud and clear across the north in recent months.
The numbers of workers in both the public and private sectors who took industrial action seeking fair pay, in the teeth of the worst cost of living crisis in half a century, is unprecedented in our history.
Workers across the north at every level of our economy and in every sector of employment took industrial action. We have seen unions who have never taken such action before. We have seen what NI looks like when those services are withdrawn by strike action. Now those workers are more visible and now is the time for those workers to be recognised with a new and comprehensive Employment Act.
We are the only devolved government with devolved powers to improve laws affecting workers rights. And we are preparing for such a piece of Legislation with the restored NI Executive and Assembly.
We will soon place our proposals on the table and we urge trade unionists to support our demands for a better deal for parents, for safer workplaces and for workers to have access to join a union and benefit like workers all over the world do who are in unions.
This is the end of Ireland’s first Trade Union week. But the example of what every union in Northern Ireland delivered in the past few months is the best advertisement.
Workers in all jobs are better off in a trade union.
The whole economy is better off with stronger unions.
Society needs us so we can play our part in building a bigger and better society.
Happy May Day!
