Londonderry May Day resurrected

A spokesman for Londonderry Trades Council said it was decided to resurrect the local May Day celebration due to demand from Trade Unionists throughout the North West.

The workers’ celebration will take place at the Guildhall at the end of a week that witnessed hundreds of Trade Union delegates arrive in the city for the Biennial Delegate Conference of the NI Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Welcoming the return of the conference to the city and revealing there will to be a May Day rally in Londonderry for the first time in almost a decade local Trade Union leader Liam Gallagher said it was a significant week for workers in the city.

“This is an important week for trade unionists in Derry and across the North West,” he commented. “Delegates and trade unionists from all over Ireland have been arriving in the city for the Biennial Delegate Conference of the NI Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

“It will be of value to local hotels and businesses and it is being hosted in the City Hotel. Derry Trades Council extends fraternal greetings to all of the delegates and observers who began arriving in the city on Monday night and will be here until Wednesday.

“Added to this is the fact that Derry Trades Council has decided to organise a May Day rally in Derry this year. For the past eight years Derry trade unionists have travelled to rallies in Belfast and Dublin but due to demand from local branches it has been agreed to bring the rally back to Derry,” he added.

“There are 13,000 registered trade union members in Derry and the unions NIPSA, UNITE, Unison, FBU, INTO, GMB and the NUJ have agreed to support the Derry rally. It will be a celebration of workers rights and a family fun occasion in solidarity with the millions of workers throughout the world who celebrate May 1 as Workers’ Day.

“Although workers have been severely hit by Thatcher’s anti-union legislation which intended to eliminate workers’ rights to join a trade union organisation the unions have survived and continue to fight against the exploitation of workers wherever and whenever it occurs.

“The rights that we now take for granted - the 40 hour week, working time regulation, holiday entitlements, pension rights, sick pay, maternity and paternity leave, an end to child labour, TUPE rights, transfer of undertakings, the right not to be unfairly dismissed and the minimum wage - are some of the rights which have been hard won and the unions continue to fight to maintain and develop them.

“We are asking trade unionists and their families to come along to the Guildhall on Saturday, May 1, at 1pm and join in the celebrations.

“Proper notification has been given to the police and St Joseph’s Brass Band from Strabane - sponsored by the FBU - will lead the parade along Foyle Street, Carlisle Road, the Diamond, Shipquay Street to the SEEDS premises at Foyle Street.

“A number of youth bands and Trade Union speeches will follow the parade. Refreshments will be available. Everyone welcome.”