The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions [NIC ICTU] has today added its voice to those calling for protection of the peace process.
Following a meeting of senior figures in the trade union movement in Belfast on Wednesday, ICTU General Secretary, Owen Reidy, pointed out
The trade union movement remains committed to ensuring the hard-won peace formalised in the Good Friday Agreement is protected. This is a position supported by a majority of people here. Those who seek to undermine it are unwelcome echoes of the past.
The current standoff at Drumcree can be resolved by meaningful and calm negotiations. The Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant has both the responsibility and the authority to create the space for such negotiations, and we urge him to exercise them.
However, the responsibility to preserve the peace and to deliver progress is a shared responsibility on us all – politicians, trade unions, the community sector and business. We in the trade union movement stand ready to do our part and we invite broader civic society to join with us in this work.
ICTU, Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Murphy added
Both the British and Irish governments are co-guarantors of the GFA, a role which requires constant attention. Regrettably this has not always been the case. The results of this are obvious across our community.
The NI Executive and Assembly have a budgetary crisis loaded on a failing health service, inadequate educational provision, unacceptable levels of poverty and more recently racist violence spilling onto our streets. We also have levels of violence against women and girls which are among the highest in Europe. All of this presided over by both governments and a dysfunctional and fractured devolved administration.
These are the issues which matter to people. These are the issues that should be engaging our politicians. The future we deserve requires reform at every level including at Stormont. Revisiting old disputes serve only to inhibit progress and prevent community cohesion. The people of this place have endured enough.
Concluding Mr Reidy pointed out that
The old wounds must be left to heal. We cannot take peace and progress for granted. Both require commitment and work. Those who seek to derail our efforts in these respects cannot be allowed to drag us back.
