The Workers Party has described the Stormont House Agreement as a bad deal for workers and the formal and most public indication to date of the adoption of Tory economic principles and policies by the DUP/Sinn Féin led administration in Northern Ireland.

 
At the January meeting of the Party’s Central Executive Committee the Party has called for widespread support for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ organised March and Rally against the deal, to be held in Belfast on March 13th as well as the series of public meetings being organised by the trade union movement in towns and cities across Northern Ireland.

 
The Workers’ Party in a statement released after the CEC meeting stated, “ it is worth remembering the context in which these talks were held and to draw attention to a number of points which have emerged since. Ostensibly these were talks to address unresolved issues relating to the past, flags parades and other associated matters. However very quickly the British Tory government demanded the inclusion of economic matters onto the agenda, specifically the introduction in full of Tory Welfare Reform measures and an attack on the public sector and public services in Northern Ireland. The Tories demanded these steps as the price for agreement to lower the rate of Corporation Tax in the North. David Cameron and the Tories have got everything they wanted and asked for.

 
Welfare Reform, which will affect the weakest and most vulnerable sections of Northern Ireland Society is to be introduced.”
“The DUP Finance Minister in introducing the NI Budget to the Assembly last week stated that 20,000 public sector jobs will be lost.
The public sector is to be shrunk.  Publically owned assets and services such as Belfast Harbour Estate and Translink will be sold off.
Jobs and public services in Health and Education will be slashed.
Many more than 20,000 public sector workers face the sack.
The Northern Ireland workforce is already characterised by low pay, part time, zero contract hours work, with little or no social protections.
This is what the DUP and Sinn Féin have agreed to in return for the lowering of Corporation Tax, something which The Workers Party and the Trade Union Movement in Northern Ireland have rejected as anti worker and pro big business. We have elsewhere spelt out the case against lowering Corporation Tax and so called re-balancing of the Northern Ireland Economy.”

 
“We particularly wish to draw attention to the claim that £2 billion of additional money has been secured from the British Government to fund these anti worker measures.  What has in effect happened, is that the Tories have made the NI Executive take out a Pay Day loan.
The biggest loan, £700 million is for redundancy payments.
The savings from these redundancies will pay for a tax cut for big business.
Despite the claims there is no provision for an Opposition at Stormont.
Contentious issues such as the past, parades, protests and flags, all been kicked further into touch with no prospect of any workable solutions to these issues.”

 
“It is clear to the Workers’ Party that the only principle for the DUP and Sinn Fein is to maintain the institutions at Stormont at any cost.
This so called Agreement is the latest in a long line of deals done to maintain the sectarian carve-up between the DUP and Sinn Féin, thus preserving sectarian division.
Sinn Féin in particular have questions to answer as a party that purports to speak for workers and align itself as on the left.
One point of interest may serve to cut through the spin and deliberate confusion which SF will use to obscure their stand on this agreement.
Sinn Féin last year were to assume the position of Speaker in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The DUP blocked the move until such times as SF agreed to implement Welfare Reform and reduce the size of the public sector.
Within days of the Stormont House Agreement the DUP withdrew their opposition.
Prominent Sinn Féin MLA Mitchel Mc Laughlin has now been installed as Speaker of the Stormont Assembly.”

 

“In conclusion The Workers Party wishes to congratulate the Northern Ireland Committee of ICTU and the thousands of trade union activists and members across Northern Ireland who have broken with the Stormont consensus and launched a campaign of opposition to these anti-people, anti-worker policies pursued by Orange and Green Tories.”