A very successful online meeting took place in Northern Ireland on Monday 11th August. It was convened by Trade Unionists for a New Cross-community Political Alternative.
Sixty people attended, despite it taking place in the holiday period. Members of 14 different trade unions were present. Activists from a number of community-based campaigns and several left traditions were also in attendance. The meeting was initiated by left wing trade unionists and left-wing political activists on the back of the hugely successful initiative by Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn in Britain. It is estimated that more than 700,000 people have signed up to “Your Party” (read more here).
Thousands of people in the North will be following these events with keen interest. For many workers and young people, it is a beacon of light and hope, and instinctively they have signed up to new party. When it is properly launched however it will not organise in Northern Ireland and those who have signed up will be passive supporters only.
It is therefore correct to initiate a meeting to begin the conversation of how working-class people can be represented in Northern Ireland and provided with an alternative to the politics of Orange and Green.
A lively and enthusiastic discussion took place after an introduction from Ciaran Mulholland a long-standing political activist and author of many important articles relating to the history of the movement and the in particular the role the trade unions played during the Troubles opposing sectarianism.
The meeting was a first step in an attempt to build a broad left alternative
based on genuine cross-community, anti-sectarian politics. It was also clear from the contributions that inclusiveness is essential to build and become a movement that represents all oppressed groups in society.
A follow up meeting was agreed for September with a guest speaker invited from the Sultana-Corbyn initiative. It is entirely possible the next meeting could double in size such is the thirst for an alternative to the status quo.
