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Bernadette McAliskey endorses SEA candidates

Friday 29th April 2005

Civil Rights leader, Bernadette McAliskey, is visiting the Socialist Environmental Alliance election office today, Sat. 30th April. She is in Derry to launch the water charges' campaign non-payment pledge at 2.00pm in the SEA offices.

Ms. McAliskey has been working in mid-Ulster to build a mass non-payment campaign on water charges. While in Derry, she is to endorse the SEA candidates for the local and Westminster elections and will spend some time campaigning in Creggan and the Bogside with Cityside candidate Liam Friel ­ before Mr. Friel has to rush off to his sister's wedding.

Ms. McAliskey's endorsement comes after the SEA office was visited by Northern Ireland Fire Brigade Union leaders, Jim Barbour and Tony Maguire. Mr. Barbour is standing as a Socialist Party candidate in Belfast and, like the SEA candidates, has pledged not to pay water charges when he is elected.

The FBU leader called for a vote for SEA candidates in the forthcoming elections as the best way to advance the campaign against water charges. "A vote for any other party in Derry is a vote for water charges", said Mr. Barbour. He added that the Fire Brigade Union "strongly support a mass non-payment campaign. But the campaign needs to be organised, as the SEA are doing, across both Catholic and Protestant areas and in every part of Northern Ireland."

"Water charges are very much a trade union matter", said Mr. Barbour. "The government plans to privatise our water service over the next few months and up to 700 jobs are likely to be axed if they get their way."





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