Working class dying and taking their own lives with more cuts intended: trade unionist

Low paid and unemployed workers - particularly men - are also taking their own lives at a faster rate than anyone else.

And the Government is going to cut low paid public sector jobs and attack the benefits system supporting these very groups.

These are the claims of the Chair of the Northern Committee of Irish Congress of Trades Unions (ICTU), Pamela Dooley, who issued a stark challenge and a clear warning to the NI Executive and Assembly at today’s protest rally in Belfast.

UNISON members from across the health, education, and community and voluntary sector throughout Northern Ireland turned out in strength to support the joint trade union and community initiative.

Addressing today’s rally, which was attended by workers and trades union members from Londonderry and across Northern Ireland, Dooley said: “It is time to confront our Government with stark realities from which they cannot escape. Realities on which the people demand immediate and direct action.

“Working class people in our society are dying prematurely. The unemployed, and in particular those suffering long-term unemployment are dying quicker than anyone else in this society. The current Ministerial response is to call them “work shy” and attack the benefits system.

“As our suicide rates rise low paid workers and unemployed workers, particularly working class men, are taking their own lives at a faster rate than any other group in our society.

“The Government response is to cut low paid public sector jobs, fail to create, or locate, decent jobs in our areas of greatest disadvantage and once again to attack the benefits system supporting our people.”

She said working class women and children were being driven deeper into poverty and that the Government response is to attack their vital public serves and the benefits system which is supporting them.

“Chief medical Officer for Northern Ireland has openly and honestly admitted that we have failed since the introduction of devolved Government to close the gap in health inequalities. The gap is worsening for our people living in the most disadvantaged communities.

“Our Government’s response is to cut the health budget, the education budget, the housing budget and to attack the welfare benefits system.

“Our Government’s response is to introduce more private medicine into our healthcare system, cut the number of nurses in the community, close all NHS residential homes and withdraw from public homecare services,” she said.