Labour should not join with FG, says union

TALKS WARNING:ONE OF the State's largest trade unions has cautioned the Labour Party against joining Fine Gael in a coalition government.

Calling on the party to lead a “game-changing” opposition coalition of the left, Unite regional secretary Jimmy Kelly said voters did not vote for a Fine Gael overall majority.

“Their [Fine Gael’s] policies on privatisation, austerity and income cuts did not attract enough support, and should not now be facilitated by the tired old fallback of coalition with Labour,” he asserted.

Mr Kelly said the Labour Party had “an historic opportunity” to lead “a greatly expanded” left-wing coalition.

He said an opposition led by Labour with the support of Sinn Féin, the United Left Alliance and other Independents would have 60 seats in the new Dáil.

Unite, which boasts some 60,000 members in Ireland, does not have an affiliation to the Labour Party.

It represents workers across a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing, communications, health, education, local authorities and other sectors.

Mr Kelly said Labour should create new long-term alliances with a view to realising the prospect of a left-led government in the 32nd Dáil.

“A Fine Gael-led government would only last two to three years – then, finally, the goal of a left-led government can become a reality. Labour should hold its nerve,” Mr Kelly said.

Earlier this month, Siptu president Jack O’Connor warned that the election of a single-party Fine Gael government would be a recipe for disaster due to its commitment to the deflationary principles of the outgoing Fianna Fáil administration.