Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Day 14 of Jim Wyse's Hunger strike diary at Green Isle
Day 14
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Fourteen
http://www.teeu.ie/allddgreenisle.asp
I slept well last night and the health is holding up. Things were fairly good today. I’m beginning to get the few headaches and I find I can’t get up suddenly or I feel dizzy. Apart from that I’m feeling better in myself than I was a few days ago.
I didn’t have any calls this morning but I think John had one from Newstalk. We were over in the hotel for a meeting with the mediators and we met up with KFM, so we did a piece for local radio.
After that it was up to Dublin for the press conference, which seemed to go fairly well. Then we had to head back down here again for another meeting with the mediators at five o’clock.
They talked to us for about 15 minutes. The rest of the time we’ve been hanging about waiting for the company to come back. It is very tiring, very wearing. Whether or not that is the company’s intention I don’t know. We’ll have to see what comes out of tonight’s talks
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Fourteen
http://www.teeu.ie/allddgreenisle.asp
I slept well last night and the health is holding up. Things were fairly good today. I’m beginning to get the few headaches and I find I can’t get up suddenly or I feel dizzy. Apart from that I’m feeling better in myself than I was a few days ago.
I didn’t have any calls this morning but I think John had one from Newstalk. We were over in the hotel for a meeting with the mediators and we met up with KFM, so we did a piece for local radio.
After that it was up to Dublin for the press conference, which seemed to go fairly well. Then we had to head back down here again for another meeting with the mediators at five o’clock.
They talked to us for about 15 minutes. The rest of the time we’ve been hanging about waiting for the company to come back. It is very tiring, very wearing. Whether or not that is the company’s intention I don’t know. We’ll have to see what comes out of tonight’s talks
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Day 12 and Day 13 of Jim Wyse's hunger strike diary
Day 12
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Twelve
http://www.teeu.ie/allddgreenisle.asp
We managed to keep a lot warmer last night. I won’t say how we compensated for the cold.
It was bitterly cold last night outside. The temperature was minus five degrees when I went out to warm the car engine this morning.
We slept well, although there is always the odd truck arriving at the plant in the night and then there’s a shift change about 6am.
Despite the good night’s sleep I woke up no more refreshed than I went to bed. It’s not so much that I need to force myself to get up as I feel the need for more sleep during the day.
We went down to meet Green Isle management at 3pm but they are keeping us waiting again. It’s par for the course. They’ve had since 3am on Friday, all weekend and all this morning to consider the proposals.
Common decency and good manners would dictate you don’t leave the other side waiting around like this.
Is it arrogance or something worse? I don’t know.
It is encouraging to hear about all the support coming in. We need all the help we can get. I see the Northern Foods share price is continuing to slide so the bad publicity can’t be doing them any good.
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Day 13
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Thirteen
It was a good day today. The mini-depression I’ve had since Saturday has gone. I feel very good mentally as well as physically. I feel as well as I did when I started, although I don’t have the same energy.
I saw the Doctor for my weekly medical check up earlier. It was very good, very reassuring. Everything is 100 per cent and the Doctor said I should be good for another week.
The bad news is that the high cholesterol hasn’t gone down. The doctor said there was no reason that it should just because I am on hunger strike.
He is very interested in how I am getting. He hasn’t had a hunger striker before. I’m his guinea pig. He’ll be able to talk about me for years.
There is no downward trend in John Guinan at all. We slept well last night in the caravan. I woke up the odd time with passing trucks for a few minutes but you would do that at home.
I think I’ll skip the start of the talks today. They kept us waiting a couple of hours yesterday. It’s only done to wear us down. I’ll wait this evening until there is something to discuss.
There have been a lot more callers today. It was very busy, strangers a lot of them coming to offer their support. One was from Mandate and there were people up from Offaly . One of my brothers calls twice a day. Once on his way to work and once on the way home to see how I am. He is just pulling up now.
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Twelve
http://www.teeu.ie/allddgreenisle.asp
We managed to keep a lot warmer last night. I won’t say how we compensated for the cold.
It was bitterly cold last night outside. The temperature was minus five degrees when I went out to warm the car engine this morning.
We slept well, although there is always the odd truck arriving at the plant in the night and then there’s a shift change about 6am.
Despite the good night’s sleep I woke up no more refreshed than I went to bed. It’s not so much that I need to force myself to get up as I feel the need for more sleep during the day.
We went down to meet Green Isle management at 3pm but they are keeping us waiting again. It’s par for the course. They’ve had since 3am on Friday, all weekend and all this morning to consider the proposals.
Common decency and good manners would dictate you don’t leave the other side waiting around like this.
Is it arrogance or something worse? I don’t know.
It is encouraging to hear about all the support coming in. We need all the help we can get. I see the Northern Foods share price is continuing to slide so the bad publicity can’t be doing them any good.
--------------------------------------------
Day 13
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Thirteen
It was a good day today. The mini-depression I’ve had since Saturday has gone. I feel very good mentally as well as physically. I feel as well as I did when I started, although I don’t have the same energy.
I saw the Doctor for my weekly medical check up earlier. It was very good, very reassuring. Everything is 100 per cent and the Doctor said I should be good for another week.
The bad news is that the high cholesterol hasn’t gone down. The doctor said there was no reason that it should just because I am on hunger strike.
He is very interested in how I am getting. He hasn’t had a hunger striker before. I’m his guinea pig. He’ll be able to talk about me for years.
There is no downward trend in John Guinan at all. We slept well last night in the caravan. I woke up the odd time with passing trucks for a few minutes but you would do that at home.
I think I’ll skip the start of the talks today. They kept us waiting a couple of hours yesterday. It’s only done to wear us down. I’ll wait this evening until there is something to discuss.
There have been a lot more callers today. It was very busy, strangers a lot of them coming to offer their support. One was from Mandate and there were people up from Offaly . One of my brothers calls twice a day. Once on his way to work and once on the way home to see how I am. He is just pulling up now.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Is it raining Minister Hanafin?
So about 400 folks from farming families are holding a protest outside the Department of Social and Family Affairs in Dublin at the removal of pensions from wives of farmers.
The pension for farm women was given last year, but taken away this year. The logic being apparently sure there only women anyhow and they dont deserve anything arent their husbands farming. So much for independent financial existence for these women.
The IFA have come out and criticised Minister Mary Hanafin for not meeting them. Also a few more people are camped inside the dept. and holding their ground until they get a meeting. Hanafin should climb down form her ivory tower and start talking.
What ever Mary Hanafin says to those protesting about the loss of granted pensions they would do well those sums in mind. While pension reform is something that must be faced the protestors should remember that Mary Hanafin's pension will beat anything they'll ever see and as long as this govt. is in power they'll keep it that way. Reform is for the little people.
The pension for farm women was given last year, but taken away this year. The logic being apparently sure there only women anyhow and they dont deserve anything arent their husbands farming. So much for independent financial existence for these women.
The IFA have come out and criticised Minister Mary Hanafin for not meeting them. Also a few more people are camped inside the dept. and holding their ground until they get a meeting. Hanafin should climb down form her ivory tower and start talking.
What advice might she say to them?
Probably tell them how the pension age is going up and we'll all have to tough it out.
Alternatively she could suggest that they all become Michael Woods. Remember how he was the sole beneficiary of a change in the law about ministerial pensions. Sole beneficiary to the tune of about 75k.
Or maybe she could point them in the direction of Bertie Aherne or Rory o'Hanlon who scooped 98k and 82k respectively last year.
What ever Mary Hanafin says to those protesting about the loss of granted pensions they would do well those sums in mind. While pension reform is something that must be faced the protestors should remember that Mary Hanafin's pension will beat anything they'll ever see and as long as this govt. is in power they'll keep it that way. Reform is for the little people.
Clint Eastwood once commented in The Outlaw Josey Wales " There's another saying, Senator: Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining. "
Those protesting in the Dept. would do well to bear it in mind when the Minister meets them, as she eventually must.
Day 10 and 11 of Jim Wyse's hunger strike diary
Day 10
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Ten
We had a good night’s rest for a change. I slept from 11pm until about 7am. I freshened up and met with some people gathering for the march. John Guinan took me up. He’s the designated driver and minder now.
I met all the family and friends. My four sons and daughter Rebecca were there and all the grand children, brothers, sister, in-laws, nephews and nieces. There was a great crowd of supporters. I met people who came up from Cork, a group of Post Office workers and the crowd of supporters from Wyeth. It was a great march and we were blessed with great weather.
I didn’t feel well enough for walking. Declan Shannon brought me down to Green Isle in the Jeep at the head of the march. There was a security cordon. At that stage I got out and walked down to the gate and everyone else came down. It was peaceful and dignified and we went back for the rally to the main entrance at the gate.
When you see a lot of people like that it gives you a lift, although I was not well enough to speak. John spoke for both us and spoke very well.
We have had plenty of visitors afterwards but I managed to snatch a bit of a nap.
I am down about a stone and a quarter in weight. Everything is good except the energy levels are low all the time now. I don’t think they will get back up while I’m on hunger strike.
Day 11
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Eleven
We were up late enough last night and didn’t get to bed until about 1am with visits and calls. Then John and me spent a lot of time chatting. The talk always seemed to get back to food for some reason.
We slept well but I woke up a number of times with the cold. My feet were very cold. That wasn’t a problem before, even though the temperatures were lower.
We found there was a bit of condensation forming and the bottom of the mattress is getting damp. There is a formica base that is trapping the moisture. We are going to have to air the mattress and the caravan today.
It was quiet this morning but we expect friends and family to visit in the afternoon.
Physically I still feel a bit down energy wise, much the same as yesterday. I think this is the way it’s going to be from now on.
I get a queasy feeling. It’s hard to describe but it isn’t normal.
I find I am more relaxed when it is quiet and I am just sitting here. I usually have a lot of things going on in my mind when I’m not active, but maybe this is part of my body adjusting.
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Ten
We had a good night’s rest for a change. I slept from 11pm until about 7am. I freshened up and met with some people gathering for the march. John Guinan took me up. He’s the designated driver and minder now.
I met all the family and friends. My four sons and daughter Rebecca were there and all the grand children, brothers, sister, in-laws, nephews and nieces. There was a great crowd of supporters. I met people who came up from Cork, a group of Post Office workers and the crowd of supporters from Wyeth. It was a great march and we were blessed with great weather.
I didn’t feel well enough for walking. Declan Shannon brought me down to Green Isle in the Jeep at the head of the march. There was a security cordon. At that stage I got out and walked down to the gate and everyone else came down. It was peaceful and dignified and we went back for the rally to the main entrance at the gate.
When you see a lot of people like that it gives you a lift, although I was not well enough to speak. John spoke for both us and spoke very well.
We have had plenty of visitors afterwards but I managed to snatch a bit of a nap.
I am down about a stone and a quarter in weight. Everything is good except the energy levels are low all the time now. I don’t think they will get back up while I’m on hunger strike.
Day 11
Green Isle Hunger Strike Diary – Day Eleven
We were up late enough last night and didn’t get to bed until about 1am with visits and calls. Then John and me spent a lot of time chatting. The talk always seemed to get back to food for some reason.
We slept well but I woke up a number of times with the cold. My feet were very cold. That wasn’t a problem before, even though the temperatures were lower.
We found there was a bit of condensation forming and the bottom of the mattress is getting damp. There is a formica base that is trapping the moisture. We are going to have to air the mattress and the caravan today.
It was quiet this morning but we expect friends and family to visit in the afternoon.
Physically I still feel a bit down energy wise, much the same as yesterday. I think this is the way it’s going to be from now on.
I get a queasy feeling. It’s hard to describe but it isn’t normal.
I find I am more relaxed when it is quiet and I am just sitting here. I usually have a lot of things going on in my mind when I’m not active, but maybe this is part of my body adjusting.
Is pro-business anti worker?
Michael Hennigan has a very nice financial news aggregator site called FinFacts. Today he has IBEC in his sights and castigates them for fearing radical reform not because such reform would lead to chaos but simply because they are too entrenched in the old way of doing things to be able to react purposefully in the new economic environment we live. IBEC issued a new business survey result today which shows most Irish companies believe that the Public Service Procurement sector in sth. Ireland is dysfunctional. When asked to rate the process of selling goods and services to the Public sector 56% of companies stated it as poor. And this is no small slice of pie. Last year it was €16 billion euros.
Hennigan describes the Public Procurement process in south Ireland as of the Victorian era with generally no transparency.
Mary Coughlan is apparently trying to do something about this issue. While her commentary on it might be colourful I don't think it will be useful.
It might be more useful if she packed up her bags.
Sinn Fein has been focussing on this issue for quite a while and has called for procurement exercises to be split so as to allow smaller companies the opportunity to win contracts, safe guard jobs and keep local economies going and its tried to help small businesses get educated on what opportunities exist.
And its clear that they need this help. 55 per cent of businesses were refused bank funding in the three months to the end of February, compared to 42 per cent who were did not get credit facilities in the three months to the end of October. Quite a sharp rise Mar-May 2008 when only 20 per cent of SMEs who applied for funding were refused credit.So much for NAMA helping small businesses, so much for the govt. trying to develop indigenous Irish firms so as to avoid the over-reliance on multi-nationals.
And so much for ISME and IBEC which have failed to deliver for small Irish business women and men who are going to the wall at a huge rate and who cant get credit but somehow or other are supposed to create jobs through exports.
A friend once mentioned in passing that a left wing party should have nothing to do with businesses, that we should focus solely on the workers and not push policies that are targeted at helping businesses.
Yet these businesses give jobs to our communities and give people the opportunity to live in their own home towns etc. if they wish.
As a left wing party we have to support small businesses. We have to ensure jobs are provided to ordinary people.
Pushing supports for businesses is not a rocky road to neo-liberalism. It's the only road to keeping our communities working and living in Ireland.
None of these supports precludes us from building on and defending workers rights.
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