Transport union leader Mick Lynch has said union bosses need to do more to combat flaring anti-immigration protests across the UK and Ireland.
The RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) boss, who has risen to prominence in recent years during public transport strikes in England, gave the annual Connolly Lecture on the opening day of Feile an Phobail at St Mary’s University College on Thursday.
The union leader’s comments come amid anti-immigrant disorder in the Southport area of England after three children were killed in a knife attack at a summer school.
Disorder has also been seen in recent months in the Republic with attacks against premises hosting asylum seekers in Dublin and other areas. This Saturday anti-immigrant protests have been organised in Belfast in response to the killings of Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7) and Alice Dasilva Aguiar (9).
The protests have largely been organised by far-right anti-immigration groups, and Mr Lynch says more needs to be done by those representing trade unions to engage in working class areas and prevent the disorder erupting.
“We’ve got a lot of division which has been sown in our society and trouble in Irish communities north and south, but you’ll see in England last night, that’s been taken advantage of by populists and fascists,” Mr Lynch told The Irish News ahead of his speech.
“I think the trade union movement has got to be there amongst working people putting across our traditional ideas of solidarity and unity.
“Trade unions could be tempted to simply stay in the workplace and sort out workplace problems, but most trade unions have got a wider perspective than that.
“We look broader than just solving pay or conditions because we live in the community and we’ve got to make sure we’re out there as community activists as well.
“Trade union leaders have got to show they stand up against racism, bigotry, sectarianism, whatever it is in your particular community that is the division, not blaming refugees and migrants.”
Almost a month into the new Labour government under Keir Starmer, Mr Lynch says he has “made a good start” but that his response to the war in Gaza has not been good enough.
“It had to be an improvement because we were descending into the abyss,” he says.
“I think they have made a good start to be honest, I think most people are seeing a bit of energy about the place and they’re trying to give this image in the first few weeks of being very straightforward, very competent.
“I don’t think their response to Palestine was good enough. They should have called for an immediate ceasefire and condemned the Israeli government and its murderous regime.
“It can’t go on, we need to support peace and be seen to be working for peace, the British government, the Irish government, all the governments of Europe.
“Britain has lagged behind all of those governments, even other right wing governments in Europe have been more advanced in their approach to the issue.”