Trades councilto redouble fightfor real jobs
The newly re-elected Chair of Derry Trades Union Council, Liam Gallagher, has said the local labour alliance will redouble its campaign for real jobs and affordable housing after a '˜challenging' year for local workers.
Mr. Gallagher, a leading member of the Unite trade union, was speaking after the DTUC Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Thursday night.
The local trade union leader acknowledged that cut backs across both the public and private sectors were of real concern to members of the DTUC’s constituent unions.
He said: “The last year has been a challenging one for Derry workers and their families with one in every four workers lucky enough to have a job depending on the public sector.”
Mr. Gallagher remarked that persistently high levels of joblessness and low investment in the Derry area needed to be addressed urgently as a matter of public policy.
“Unemployment and economic inactivity levels are the highest in the whole of the United Kingdom,” said the trade union leader.
“Against that background the trades council has continued to campaign or real jobs, proper levels of economic investment and more affordable social housing,” he added.
Alongside Mr. Gallagher, who was re-elected as the DTUC chairman, John Black was elected as Vice Chaiman, while Natalie Fleming and Daisy Mules, were re-elected as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.