TUC to work closely with Irish trade unionists to avoid hard border after Brexit

4 July 2017

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady will give a speech today (Tuesday) to the Biennial Conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

On the Conservative partnership with the DUP, she will call on workers to stand together to protect the peace process, saying:

“The peace process is too fragile and too precious, to be put at risk for the short term political convenience of the Conservative Party.

“Trade union movements in Britain and Ireland were at the heart of securing and sustaining the Good Friday Agreement.

“We have worked hard to show that workers will always have more in common with each other than those who try to divide them.

“We understand more than anyone that peace and stability must be built on mutual respect, good jobs, equal rights and shared power.”

On Brexit, she will pledge to work with Irish trade unionists to avoid a hard border, saying:

“Any deal must put jobs and a level playing field on workers’ rights first. UK employers can’t be allowed to unfairly compete against those in Europe by undercutting workers’ rights. Working people – whether in Britain or the rest of the EU – must not pay the price for Brexit.

“We will continue to work ever more closely with Irish trade unionists to stop a return to a hard border. It would be bad for jobs, bad for the economy, and bad for the politics of peace.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
- Further information about the ICTU Biennial Conference is here: https://www.ictu.ie/bdc17/
- All TUC press releases can be found at tuc.org.uk/media
- TUC Press Office on Twitter: @tucnews