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WORKERS SOLIDARITY
Paper of the Irish anarchist group,
Workers Solidarity Movement
No 43 Autumn 1994 (electronic addition)
Part 5 (A rotten world?) 12K
Interview with Italian anarchist
Ireland..The land of a 1000 welcomes?
Hicksons chemical spill
37% illegally underpaid
********************
AFTER BERLUSCONI'S ELECTION
WOMENS RIGHTS, SEX AND THE POPE
ITALY SEEMS all bad news these days with
the new government coalition's that is a
mix of the neo-fascist party National
Alliance, the separatist Lega Nord and
Forza Italia the party of the media tycoon,
Berlusconi. What we hear less of in
Ireland is the opposition to these forces.
A member of the Florence affiliate of the
Italian Anarchist Federation tells us of
some of the problems facing progressives in
Italy.
"The annual anti-clerical conference
organised by several anti-authoritarian
associations and anarchist groups took
place as usual in Fano, a small town next
to the Adriatic sea in central Italy. With
the elections it appears the clerical-
authoritarian side of Italian society has
won for the moment over the
progressive/democratic side.
"The new government is planning to attack
all the laws concerning those civil rights
that have been won in the last 20 years;
sexual and racial discrimination, divorce,
abortion and the No.180 Act, which
prevented people in need of psychiatric
help from being confined in mental asylums
or jails.
"There have been no laws against
homosexuals and immigrants in Italy since
WWII, however this may soon change. But,
it's only since 1974 and 1978 that
referendums were called by the people to
have laws for free access to divorce and
assisted abortion. (In Italy it is
possible to get a referendum by collecting
signatures.)
"The 1978 referendum, concerning abortion
rights, had been called mainly by the
feminist movement together with anti-
authoritarian movements, including the
anarchist and gay movements. Initially the
law was accepted as a necessary experiment
in limiting the damages caused by back
street-abortions, i.e. permanent personal
injuries, haemorrhages and deaths caused by
phoney doctors or doctors concerned only
with money making.
"Along with the abortion law Italy has seen
the widespread growth of gynaecological
advisory boards which, in a state heavily
influenced by Catholic fundamentalism along
with all its sex phobic taboos, offer
chances for solidarity among women, medical
examinations and advice about
contraception.
"In preparation for the UN conference on
Demographic Growth which to going to be
held in Cairo next September, the Catholic
hierarchies are intensifying their
campaigns against the right of women and
couples to decide and make their own
choices. However there are inner conflicts
and differences within the Catholic world
itself.
When visiting Italy, Frances Kissling,
president of the American association
"Catholics for Free Choice" took a firm
stand on the Pope's policy: "Vatican city
is a state, the only town without women and
children. But still on what concerns
sexuality and reproduction it pretends to
know more than the women it's supposed to
represent."
"The Pope's words are particularly
destructive in his motherland and in Spain.
In Poland it's still difficult to find
condoms on chemists shelves, while we are
still waiting for Lech Walesa to resign as
promised on the enforcement of the 'pro-
abortion act'. In Spain abortion is
restricted to a very limited number of
cases such as deformity of the foetus or
serious danger of the mother's life.
"In this international scene population
control policies are being turned into
instruments for political control. The
Vatican appeal against contraception and
abortion in the less developed countries
means keeping millions of starving children
and families under the ruling thumb of
western economics.
"As libertarians, we hope that no single
child will become a new fetish in society
of either straight couples or alternative
communities. We hope individuals will
always remain a loving deed born from free
choice. We think it better to get rid of
the bigoty of clerical hierarchies and of
the boasting headlines of hired mass media
which are turning a deed of love into a
living oddity to be shown at the circus, to
be peeped at on TV screens, even sold at
markets."
******************
IRELAND : The land of 1,000 welcomes?
Prior to the World Cup, supporters of the
Irish football team were supplied with
brochures which they were meant to pass on
to people when they got to the States.
This was a drive by Board Failte (Tourist
Board) to encourage more tourism from
America.
For years Ireland has been portrayed as an
unspoiled island with a beautiful coast,
mountains and lakes. The hospitality of
the people is renowned but sadly it is not
reflected in the state's current
immigration policy. If you end up in
Ireland looking for more than a holiday
you'll quickly find out how the Irish State
operates. People who have sought political
asylum in Ireland have met with little joy.
In 1990 a Chinese Student, Ji Yao Lau
arrived in Ireland seeking political
asylum. He quickly ended up in Mountjoy
Jail. This man was fleeing the Chinese
authorities after the Tienanmen Square
Massacre in Beijing. He was ruled
ineligible for bail as he had committed no
offence! He wasn't released for six
months. This is not the kind of
hospitality one reads about in the tourist
guides. Eventually he left for another
country where his case for asylum might get
a sympathetic hearing. This case is not an
isolated one.
The Nationality & Citizenship Act of 1986
lays down a number of situations in which
the Minister for Justice can exercise
discretion and waive normal rules. This
discretionary power also covers the
granting or more likely the refusal of
citizenship to refugees. Although the
present Minister for Justice, Maire
Goeghean Quinn, denies allegations of
racism in the policy, the facts would seem
to speak for themselves.
On the 1991 figures, of the 9,400 people
granted Irish Citizenship not one of them
was from either Africa or Asia. When a
person is refused citizenship they are not
even given a reason or informed on what
grounds they have been refused. The whole
operation is shrouded in the excuse of
"national security".
However the Government is prepared to set
out its stall to the world of commerce with
catchy slogans like "passport for
sale/investment". The rules surrounding
Citizenship of Ireland and it's
availability appear to change according to
your bank balance. The Government recently
was embarrassed by the revealing of it's
'Citizenship for Investment Scheme'. The
basic outline is that if you are a
businessperson and are prepared to invest a
cool #1 million in Ireland then you can
apply and receive your Irish Passport in
the post.
According to a consultancy firm which
advises the wealthy about applications for
Irish Citizenship "An investor of Chinese
origin or from the Sub-continent is not
acceptable. An investor of Middle East
origins might be acceptable provided he/she
was already legally resident in a developed
country." It is hardly surprising to see
that the racism remains no matter how big
the bank balance.
The rules are written and rewritten by the
ruling class to suit their needs.
Investment in a faltering economy suits
them but not giving refuge to people who
are fleeing their own governments. The
rulers have to get on with the business of
ruling and people do not appear high on the
priority list. It is ironic that in a
country which has forced millions of its
people abroad to seek work that we cannot
grant the right to stay in our land to all
those who seek it. Anarchists say refuge
should be a basic human right. Therefore
it should be granted to those who seek it.
It is now very clear that Ireland is the
'island of a thousand welcomes' only if you
have a million pounds. That's a fairly
high price per welcome wherever you come
from.
Dermot Sreenan
******************
COMPANY PLEAD GUILTY
PROFITS CAME FIRST
HICKSON PHARMACHEM, the company at the
centre of last year's explosion and fire in
Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork, pleaded guilty in
July to three charges of negligence and
improper handling of hazardous chemical
substances. The result of this negligence
was a major industrial accident in the
harbour area of Cork, which very nearly
caused a major contamination and deaths.
As a result of the guilty pleas the company
was fined a total of #2,250, a sum which
can only be regarded as peanuts. The
prosecution brought by the Health and
Safety Authority (HSA) effectively brings
to an end the three enquiries initiated by
the government and Cork County Council on
foot of the August 1993 explosion.
A number of recommendations may also be
made to Hickson but, it was confirmed to
Workers Solidarity by the HSA, these are
confidential - "the public need not
necessarily be informed". This scandalous
situations comes after the admission by
Hickson that it proceeded with changes to
its manufacturing process in Cork without
fully testing the degree of danger
involved.
This is despite the fact that they had
ample evidence at their disposal that they
were dealing with chemicals which were heat
sensitive and probably dangerous. The
trial also revealed that Hickson management
had not completed a key safety audit of its
manufacturing process, despite having over
one year to do so. The reasons given for
this were "it had... not... happened".
The core issue was Hickson's quest for
profits over and above those already being
made (see Workers Solidarity no.41). It
was this that motivated the excessive
changes changes in manufacturing which led
to an otherwise safe process being turned
into a time bomb.
But it must be said that it was never
likely Hickson would be taken to task for
this crime, given that a central plank of
government economic policy hinges on
"providing a stable and supportive
environment for business to make money in".
For workers at the Hickson plant the
central problem remains. A number of them
who spoke to Workers Solidarity confirmed
that little has changed since the accident.
"Management", as one put it, "have learned
nothing". This will come as no surprise to
many, but for workers and residents in the
harbour area it bodes ill.
The limited prosecution of Hickson and the
paltry fines imposes underline, more than
anything else, that responsibility for
health & safety cannot be left in the hands
of the state. Effective action will
require an organisation linking workers in
the industry with the many residents'
associations. Such an organisation can be
built. Now, more than ever, is the time.
Kevin Doyle
******************
37% ILLEGALLY UNDERPAID
WAGES COUNCILS, which used to set minimum
wages in badly paid industries like
catering, in Northern Ireland & Britain are
no more. As reported in the last edition
of Workers Solidarity they were abolished
by the Tories on February 7th.
Latest figures from the Low Pay Network
show that, just before their abolition,
over 37% of the workplaces visited by wages
inspectors were illegally underpaying
staff. However there were only 12
prosecutions (so much for Tory huffing and
puffing about "the law must be obeyed").
In another survey one in five vacancies
offered in job centres were below the
minimum wages set by the wage councils.
******************
IN OTHER SECTIONS
Part 1 (Intro & Shorts)
Socialism & freedom
10 years of the WSM
Thats Capitalism
World Unemployment
Revolutionaries
letter from Serbia
Part 2 (Ireland & Imperialism)
It was always time to go..Troops out now!
When British army chiefs refused to obey orders
Nationalism...No Thanks
When the Falls & the Shankill fought together
Part 3 (Drugs)
In this section
Legalise it
The heroin menace
Part 4 (Campaigns & Struggle in Ireland)
TEAM workers told not to expect a decent job
Lets get together
Anti-Water charges campaign gets off ground
Reasons to bin the bill
***********************
Workers Solidarity currently comes out four
times a year. For subscription details write
to WSM, PO Box 1528, Dublin 8, Ireland.
Also appearing in the near future will be a
theoretical magazine called Red and Black
Revolution.
*****************
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Workers Solidarity Movement can be contacted at
PO Box 1528, Dublin 8, Ireland
or by anonymous e-mail to an64739@anon.penet.fi
Some of our material is available via the Spunk press electronic archive
by FTP to etext.archive.umich.edu or 141.211.164.18
or by gopher ("gopher etext.archive.umich.edu")
or WWW at http://www.cwi.nl/cwi/people/Jack.Jansen/spunk/Spunk_Home.html
in the directory /pub/Politics/Spunk/texts/groups/WSM