Stormont Isn't Working for Newry's Working Class

éirígí in Newry have expressed concern at unemployment figures released which show that a staggering 3,696 people living in Newry & Mourne are currently receiving unemployment benefit.

In Newry city itself the Ballybot area has the highest level with 11% claiming unemployment.

 Areas in Newry are listed as follows starting with highest:

• Ballybot ward – 11%
• Daisy Hill ward - 9.2%
• St Mary’s ward 8.9%
• Drumgullion ward – 7%
• St Patricks ward – 5.8%
• Drumalane ward - 6.5%
• Windsor Hill ward– 3.9%

éirígí’s Newry spokesperson Stephen Murney said that the figures clearly show that Stormont isn’t Working and has called for the Stormont politicians to refuse to do the dirty work of the British government.

Stephen explained “coupled with the 155% increase in youth unemployment and with another 26,000 public sector jobs predicted to go in the next few years it’s clear that the onslaught against the working class shows no sign of stopping.

“All the Stormont parties are keen to hide the stark reality of these actual unemployment figures, poverty levels and the wages gap – not only for economic reasons but because of the political signals these figures send out – a message that the Six-County state is an impractical and ineffectual economic entity based upon a misguided philosophy that partition can be made to work.

“Stormont never worked for working class communities in the past. It’s not working for them now”

Murney continued “The fight-back against this injustice has to come from both the employed and the unemployed. It has to come from those people who will be the first targets of the Tory-led British government’s attack on our living standards.

“There are some politicians in Stormont who claim to be opposed to the Tory cuts. If they are genuinely opposed to them then they should refuse to enforce them and stand up for the disadvantaged and vulnerable.  In the struggle to defend jobs and working conditions, to protect the public services that are so important to our communities, and also in the struggle to create a new political and socio-economic order in Ireland where capitalism will be unable to prey on workers or the most vulnerable elements of society, Stormont has no progressive role to play.

Stephen concluded by stating “éirígí in Newry will continue with our Stormont Isn’t Working campaign and will not be found wanting when it comes to standing up for the working class.