The 2025 ICTU Global Solidarity Summer School was held over two days in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry.
Almost 100 delegates and guest speakers discussed and debated a series of international matters of concern to trade union activists everywhere.
ICTU Assistant General Secretary Gerry Murphy praised attendees as
the global ambassadors for our movement in every workplace it is you who highlight the injustices and inequalities inflicted on our brothers and sisters in conflict zones across the world.
In her opening remarks, ICTU vice-President Jacquie White singled out the officers of the ICTU Global Solidarity committee, its Chair Ann Piggott and Vice Chairs, Dooley Harte and Kevin O'Malley.
Jacquie’s address covered the scope of policy areas which formed the discussions in plenasy sessions and eight workshops. Among those topics of immediate concern was far-right activity in Belfast earlier that week.
Following the race riots up and down the island over the past year we in the North of the island have managed to sink to even lower depths this week. The social media coverage of the vigilante groups harassing and intimidating those from ethnic minority backgrounds - well, there are no words to describe. Horrifying and sickening merely touch upon it. The use of language – from undocumented to accusations of rape and child abuse – is indicative of the narratives of the far right agenda – deliberate and calculated – designed to divide and destruct.
And when we add to that the PSNI reports that almost half of those arrested for race hate disorder in Belfast last August had previously been reported to the PSNI for domestic abuse, we realise the enormity – if we didn’t know already – of the job of work to be done.
Naturally, Palestine was the main topic of debate. Jacquie got to the heart of the matter:
We have to be mindful of language used and political response.
It is not a war against immigration on our streets when our most vulnerable are intimidated in the streets by those who appear to suffer no accountability.
It is not a war in Gaza. It is not a war if one side has one of the most advanced militaries in the world, cutting edge weapons, complete control and normality at home while the other has no army, no freedom of movement, no access to clean water and food and no homes.
It is not a war, and the persistence of those in power denoting it as such simply denies the facts.
It is not a war, it is genocide, and those in power must call it as such – and act accordingly.
The main speaker to a major session on Palestine was Anan Dana, from the Palestinian Teachers Union GUPT. On a panel which included Senator Frances Black, David Landy (Jews for Palestine) and Claire Liddy (GAA Palestine), chaired by Unison Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown.
Anan told delegates of his daily life as an educator in Hebron, describing in a powerful illustrated presentation of the severe restrictions, including over 100 checkpoints in Hebron, the destruction of infrastructure, and the division of the Abraham mosque. He emphasized the difficulties in education, noting that students and teachers face significant delays and humiliation at checkpoints. Donna thanked the Irish for their support, likening them to angels for their solidarity.
Patricia and Gerry detailed Congress’ policy of Palestine, boosted by a composite motion passed at July’s BDC.
This motion is comprehensive, strategic and specific in the demands it makes of the Irish government, the EU and of the ICTU itself. It was passed unanimously at the BDC and encapsulating a total of 16 developments in the policies and actions of these bodies. This is the most comprehensive policy position of any trade union movement in the world on this issue.
The summer school continued over both days with expert-led workshops on:
- Decent Work for Platform Workers: Darragh Golden, UCD, Tea Jarc, ETUC and Kruskaya Hidalgo, Solidarity Centre
- Central Bank Campaign – Helen O’Mahony, IPSC
- IHRA definition – David Landy
- Beijing +30 – Dr. Norah Burns, School of Law, QUB and Board member National Women’s Council
- BDS training materials – Cathlin NI Cathail
- Community Collaborations to Challenge Racism – David Carroll and Philomena Obasi (Irish Network Against Racism).
- Corporate accountability – Irish Coalition on Business and Human Rights, Chris O'Connell (Trócaire)
- “What is Divestment – the ‘D’ in BDS?” – Dooley Harte and Jack Ferguson
