People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin has said it is time to support migrant workers in the face of threats from far right groups who promote hate, division and violence.
Said Cllr Harkin: “Workers Rights and Social Justice Week has gone from strength to strength since People Before Profit first proposed it to the Council in 2019.
“Trade unions represent up to 250,000 workers in the North and almost 1 million across Ireland, and are growing in Derry and across the island.
“I’ll be joining the ‘Celebration of Migrant Workers’ Rally on Sunday at 12.30 pm in Guildhall Square.
“Migrant workers make a massive contribution to our society. Immigrant workers across the island of Ireland are central to the health service and many other sectors.
“Migrant workers are part of the working-class. They are leaders in our workplaces, our trade unions and our communities. Their contribution should be celebrated and not denigrated.
“James Connolly and Jim Larkin, two of Ireland’s greatest working-class leaders, were immigrants.
“For centuries Irish workers have travelled across the world fleeing poverty, persecution violence and war, in hope of a better life.
“Irish refugees of the ‘great hunger’ who made it to the US on coffin ships were depicted as carriers of disease and drunkards with backward religious superstitions.
“Irish workers in Britain were treated with suspicion and viewed as a terrorist community.
“Today, the Trump Administration and its far-right supporters view tens of thousands of undocumented Irish workers who’ve built a life in the US as nothing but criminals who must be deported.
“Trump’s supporters in Ireland are whipping up hatred and stoking violence against migrants.
“Conor McGregor and Tommy Robinson supporting goons rant about a ‘new plantation’ and ‘unvetted military age males’ flooding Ireland.
“They describe asylum seekers as ‘invaders’ responsible for rising crime and threats to women and children. It’s all nonsense and can be debunked easily but facts don’t matter to fascist thugs.
“They use social media to constantly spread sensational misinformation about migrants but ignore the fact that the vast majority of attacks on women happen in the home and by people they know.
“The far-right tries to blame migrants for the housing crisis and the state of the health service. This again is easily debunked but that doesn’t matter when the aim of fascists is to do nothing but promote hate, division and violence.
“Let’s direct anger and frustration where it belongs. The political establishment and the super-rich who are responsible for housing scarcity and NHS waiting times.
“They are responsible for deprivation, cuts to the Northlands Centre, cuts to Disability Benefit payments, cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment – and genocide in Gaza, and war after murderous war for oil and power in the Middle East and Africa.
“Let’s punch up, not down. Let’s organise for a united working-class that can take on billionaires, bullies and governments facilitating corporate profiteering.”
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