The NUI Galway Literary & Debating Society will be hosting a debate on the subject of trade unions and the recent strike actions at 7pm on Thursday January 28th in the Kirwan Lecture Theatre on the main Arts Concourse of NUI Galway.

With Ireland in the midst of a recession that surpasses the 1980s, it is no surprise that the harshest budget in 50 years has been delivered. The country is still reeling from the shock of the Celtic Tiger’s departure and wondering where it all went wrong. In times of economic difficulty, one of the first groups to come under fire is invariably the Trade Unions.

Seen as greedy by a many people struggling to hold onto their jobs, Trade Unions took to the streets to protest a tightening of the belts that was reflected the nation over. When the country was trying to rebuild for a future, these groups sought only to protect their member’s paychecks – selfishly ignoring the sound of the economy crumbling around them. Surely, these Unions, whose role was to protect their member’s rights, are redundant anyway given the improvement in Labour laws in the modern era.

Or are they? Unionised labour serves an important purpose, as without unions, there is no effective way to protect the rights of today’s workers from greedy corporations. Labour Unions don’t want to profit at the expense of others they just want a fair share of the wealth being produced, thus ensuring that everyone can have a secure future.

Speaking in support of this motion is John Brennan, the IBEC West Regional Director. All are welcome to attend give their own thoughts on the Trade Unions’ current role and then vote on the motion: “This House Believes Trade Unions are an Impediment to Economic Recovery”.