SF councillor “couldn’t give a toss about the unions”

Independent republican councillor for Newry and Mourne Davy Hyland has accused Sinn Fein of adopting an anti-working class agenda following comments from a Sinn Fein councillor in the council chamber attacking the Trade Unions.

During the meeting Sinn Fein councillor Brendan Curran stated that he “couldn’t give a toss about the unions”. The disgraceful comments were made during a Staff and Policy meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Following the meeting councillor Davy Hyland said “The comments made by councillor Brendan Curran at this meeting were disgraceful and totally unacceptable. The Trade Unions provide a valuable service for the hundreds of thousands of workers they represent across the country. They provide support, advice and assist the workers when dealing with employers. I suspect the workers represented by the unions won’t be too pleased with this verbal attack by an elected representative.

"Sinn Fein claim to be for a socialist republic, yet their actions and now their words say otherwise. Some of our most notable Trade Unionists have included Jim Larkin, who coincidentally lived in Newry for a number of years, and James Connolly, both were union leaders. One only has to study the writings and words of Connolly to see how far councillor Curran and Sinn Fein have changed. Indeed outside Liberty hall, once the headquarters of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union and currently home to SIPTU’s offices in Dublin, a magnificent statue of James Connolly proudly stands while in O’Connell Street stands a statue dedicated to Jim Larkin. Now Sinn Fein elected representatives are saying they “couldn’t give a toss” about the type of workers organisations Larkin and Connolly helped found and lead.

"This type of anti-working class language will come as no surprise to many given Sinn Fein’s role in the right-wing coalition implementing Tory cutbacks through Westminster’s Stormont administration".

"Sinn Fein, as a party, should publicly state their position on the unions, do they support them? Or like councillor Curran could they “not give a toss about the unions”? If Sinn Fein claim to support the unions then clearly Brendan Curran is at odds with the party he represents".