As news came through that 500 jobs were to be
lost at the Prudential call centre in Belfast, most people would have
missed the announcement from multi-millionaire Minister for Regional
Development Shaun Woodward of a few jobs being created in the Water
Service.
No, the Government hasn't changed its mind to sack 700 water service
workers. The new "jobs" are for fat cats appointed onto the
new board of directors, which is to run Northern Ireland Water Ltd.
from next April.
Three new non-executive directors have been appointed and will be paid
a minimum of £750 a day, plus allowances which could amount to
£3,000! And who is expected to pay these salaries? Yes, we are
- through water charges!
The additional three new bosses of the water service are John Ballard,
Rose Hynes and Ruth Thompson. Ballard is a former top civil servant,
who is now a self-employed consultant. Thompson is a former boss of
National Grid Plc (power company). But Rose Hynes has the most ghastly
record of attacking workers’ conditions.
Hynes is a commercial lawyer and consultant who was a director of Shannon
Airport Authority and spent five years on the Board of Aer Lingus. She
played a central role in the financial restructuring of the airline
which was responsible for shedding 3,000 jobs (half the workforce) and
for preparation of Aer Lingus for privatisation.
These new appointees will join the rest of the overpaid directors of
the water service in imposing an unjust double tax on householders,
including pensioners and those on benefits, including the sacked Prudential
workers. These parasites should be met with a mass campaign of non-payment
when they send out bills. That's why everyone should get involved in
building the We Won't Pay Campaign in all areas now.
...while other fat
cats plead poverty
If you're worried about the 19% rate rise that came
through in April, or about paying water charges, spare a thought for
the "business community" who have just taken to the streets
to protest against the fact that they are now being asked to pay more
than 25% of their rates.
The Northern Ireland Manufacturing Focus Group organised a convoy of
heavy vehicles through the centre of Belfast in April to oppose the
ending of industrial derating.
Spokesperson, Basil McCrea, threatened that if industries were made
to pay rates: "all future investment decisions will be directed
away from Northern Ireland."
People might sympathise with the problems of very small businesses with
tight margins, but it was large scale manufacturing and other businesses
who paraded their lorries through Belfast.
Among them were well known names like O’Kanes Poultry, several
of our biggest fuel companies and representatives of the Quinn group.
The idea that Sean Quinn, whose businesses made him a billionaire and
the richest man in Northern Ireland, can’t afford to pay rates
is a little hard to swallow.
Every political party bowed to the business lobby and joined a delegation
to meet Peter Hain on the issue. These are the same politicians who
agreed that working people should pay water charges and who are all
lined up opposing non payment!
It seems that businesses have the politicians in their pockets. It’s
time the working class had a new political voice.
