Micheál Martin At Fórsa Conference Slap In Face For Workers

The sight of Fórsa leadership welcoming Michael Martin to last weeks national conference was a slap in the face for all public sector workers. RTÉ reported on the 13th of May thehead of the union Kevin Callinan: “told delegates that they will be respectful but will make sure that Mr Martin leaves knowing exactly what workers need.”

In what reality should workers treat someone with respect when they serve the bosses, the landlords and corporations? Martin has contempt for workers. This is the abnormal reality our so-called union leadership tells us to accept. We must kiss the ring and accept whatever crumbs they throw us.

In the coming weeks unions leaders will sit across from government representatives and try to hammer out a new pay deal for workers as the current deal expires in June. But they will not get anything worthy of workers. They will get what they are told and then will be sent out to make us workers accept a below inflation pay increase.

This is their role. Union bosses will tell us there is nothing better on offer and the government will get a guarantee from us that there will be no trouble from public workers for the next few years.

Micheál Martin was part of the Fianna Fáil government that introduced the 1990 Industrial Relations act. This piece of legislation means we have some of the most restrictive rules for workers around industrial action and strikes in the world. He was part of the cabinet that brought in the vicious cuts to our pay following the 2008 financial crash.

He signed off on cuts to our sick pay that are still in place, lower pensions, and longer hours for some workers like nurses and teachers. The pension levy introduced in 2010 by that Fianna Fáil government and other “temporary” taxes like the USC are are still in place.

A recent survey of Health Care workers found that 67% are considering leaving their jobs, half surveyed in 2024 felt burnt out with 68% saying they have been ill due to work related stress. Understaffing, under resourcing and poor treatment from HSE management were cited as the causes.

The man overseeing all of this was in front of 750 workers and wasn’t made to feel any discomfort. Some delegates even posed for pictures with him after!

Why was he invited? Fórsa leadership got to show us workers: “look at the access to power we have” legitimising them in upcoming talks and Martin got to show his own party “look how I can walk into the middle of 750 angry workers and they all did nothing” - showing his own power to the politicians plotting his downfall.

Micheál Martin “outlined investment in public services made in recent years by government, notably referencing SNA provision, and housing, as well as efforts to address cost of living challenges in last year’s budget and the recent fuel crisis.”

He was allowed to spoof and talk utter fantasy unchecked, while the HSE reimposed recruitment freezes. Many of the delegates at the conference went back to workplaces completely understaffed and overworked.

Fórsa leadership asking angry workers to respect the man that stands for everything we don’t shows us members what the leaderships role is. They are here to hold us back from genuine action. 100,000 Fórsa members are well placed to shut down the country and get real change on everything from our pay to justice for Palestine.

Callinan and the Fórsa leadership showed us boldly who they stand firmly with. We need to put grassroot workers in control of our unions and that will only happen with socialists taking the lead. As long as overpaid bureaucrats occupy the top positions the unions will not fight for us.

But any worker interested in wider change cannot ignore the role and importance of the trade unions. The Russian revolutionary Lenin called for working class activists to systematically carry out agitation and propaganda within the unions, persistently and patiently.

Above all Lenin railed against any worker who dismissed unions as a waste of time. He was clear: “If you want to help the ‘masses’ and win the sympathy and support of the ‘masses’… you must absolutely work wherever the ‘masses’ are to be found.”

A union where 100,000 public sector workers are placed in crucial positions across the economy is as good a place to start as any. As a member of Fórsa Left and the Red Network the fight will carry on to put workers in the driving seat of our unions as we fight to put workers in the driving seat of the state.