A report by The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has set out a detailed plan on the way forward for the country, amid the unprecedented economic global crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘No Going Back’ A New Deal Towards a Safe and Secure Future for All
Congress General Secretary Patricia King said “the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption to societies and economies around the world. This crisis has fundamentally changed the relationship between the state, businesses and workers".
The ICTU document ‘No Going Back’ sets out in detail how to revive the economy and ensure that workers are rewarded and protected as the country gradually emerges from the pandemic.
Patricia King said , “crucially there can be no cliff edge, no sudden removal of supports for the hundreds of thousands of workers currently laid off as a result of the pandemic. The response to this crisis has to be different this time. Austerity is neither socially acceptable nor economically necessary. We believe that the length and depth of the recession will be determined, at least in part, by the policies we choose and values that guide us”.
The General Secretary said “once the virus is in abeyance we can move to the stimulus phase of the recovery and there must be a new economic and social model based on progressive values - there can be ‘No Going Back’. The report sets out how to pay for the new deal and how stimulus measures can get the country up and running. “The State, like all states will need to borrow and take advantage of low interest rates. But we also need to couple this with reform. Our paper clearly shows that employers pay considerably less than their European peers when it comes to employers PRSI. The State as the backer of last resort needs to be adequately financed and all sectors have to pay their fair share.”
Our document sets out how the country can use the crisis to debate what sort of society we want and finally resolve major issues such as housing, health care, worker’s rights, social protection and benefits, and climate action.
See full report here :
https://www.ictu.ie/download/pdf/no_going_back_final_document_may_2020.pdf